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Piles of rat-infested and rotting rubbish in Los Angeles spark fears of disease

Piles of rat-infested and rotting rubbish in Los Angeles spark fears of disease The video will start in 8 Cancel Heaps of rat-infested and rotting rubbish are piling up in the streets of Los Angeles' Skid Row, sparking fears of another epidemic of flea-borne typhus. Shocking photos show small mountains of waste - including abandoned furniture, old tyres and children's toys - blocking pavements and covering vacant lots alongside homeless camps in a huge embarrassment for the city. There are urgent calls for the rubbish to be cleared and the camps to be cleaned up to prevent the spread of disease after a police officer was diagnosed with typhoid fever. The latest diagnosis comes after at least nine reports of the disease in downtown LA last year, and it could be months before the waste is removed from local authorities. After the October outbreak the worst piles of rubbish were cleaned up, but the junk accumulated again, NBC Los Angeles reported. The piles are a public health hazard, and locals are worried that the piles will lead to another outbreak. Estela Lopez, executive director of the LA Downtown Industrial Business Improvement District, said: "I can’t walk down the street without thinking that a flea could jump on me." The rubbish is amassing in Los Angeles' Skid Row, which is home to an estimated 4,000 rough sleepers. Many pavements are lined with tents. The TV station said it could take up to 90 days for the rubbish to be removed once again. In response to criticism over its plan to tackle the problem, the California city has said it will send investigators to the worst spots and install CCTV to deter fly tippers and catch offenders. It also said it would extend its "typhus zone" to include more problem areas. Streets in the "typhus zone" have their rubbish collected and are power washed every few weeks in a bid to control the spread of disease, NBC Los Angeles reported. The city has blamed fly tippers for the piles of rubbish. Los Angeles' Sanitation Bureau told local media it has cleaned up illegal dumping nine times since last October. But a veteran sanitation worker told NBC News: "They're lying to you. "They are not doing all the cleanups they tell you they're doing." Infectious disease expert Dr Jeffrey Klausner told the outlet there is no time to waste. Infected fleas or lice can spread typhus, a bacterial disease, and rats can spread salmonella and bubonic plague. Typhus symptoms can include fever, chills, body aches, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and rash. Severe cases can lead to organ damage or death if the symptoms go untreated. There is no vaccine. Los Angeles County reported a record 124 cases of typhus last year - double the yearly average.

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