New report reveals which US cities are at highest risk for certain deadly diseases: 'Can have serious consequences on our health'
Recent extreme weather events — ranging from record snowfalls to warmer-than-average temperatures — across the United States will drive an increase in disease-carrying pests such as rodents and ticks, according to a new report.
The National Pest Management Association named nearly a dozen cities that could experience a surge in disease-carrying pests such as rodents, ticks, mosquitoes, and cockroaches.
The cities included Boston, which was likely to have rodents moving indoors because of what the organization called "brutal snowstorms and cold snaps" in mid-winter. The city also faces a potential surge in ticks due to an anticipated warm start to spring.
The other cities on the list were Cleveland; Denver; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans; Salt Lake City; San Antonio; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.
"Ticks, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and rodents pose serious health risks," Dr. Jorge Parada, medical adviser for NPMA, said in a statement. "They can spread dangerous diseases like Lyme disease, West Nile virus, salmonella, plague, and hantavirus, and even trigger asthma and allergies. Educating the public on these threats is critical, because without proper prevention, these pests can have serious consequences on our health."
The threat of vector-borne diseases is only expected to increase as our planet continues to overheat, driving more extreme weather patterns. For instance, wetter conditions after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in fall led to over 50 confirmed cases of locally acquired dengue — a mosquito-borne illness — in Florida. And a 2023 report revealed that Lyme disease-carrying ticks are moving northward in Canada because of rising temperatures.
NPMA suggests taking actions such as eliminating standing water, sealing openings on the outside of homes, keeping food in airtight containers, and disposing of garbage regularly to help deter pests.
A number of cities are also taking action to try to eliminate disease-carrying animals such as mosquitoes. For instance, one Southwest Florida county is using X-rays to kill off invasive mosquitoes that spread diseases including dengue fever, Zika virus, yellow fever, and chikungunya.
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