Black rat returns to southern Netherlands
Monday 17 March 2008
The black rat (rattus rattus), responsible for spreading the kidney-damaging hanta virus among other illnesses, is making a come-back in the south of the country, Jim van Steenbergen of the RIVM health institute told Radio 1 on Monday.
In 2006, eight hanta virus infections were reported in the Netherlands but last year this was 25, all in Noord Brabant and Limburg, Van Steenbergen said.
The black rat was responsible for spreading the bubonic plague in the Middle Ages and is usually found in warm countries.
© DutchNews.nl
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I am in Holland recovering from a RTA and serious medical injury (happened outside of Holland). I have to do as much walking (Huh! often hobbling!) as I can as Physio so I get to see what others miss. Someone should inform Den Haag Gemeente that it has a sizable rat population. I see them from time to time, I see their droppings, I see the teeth marks, and ... the smell ... !!! Anyway, good news is I've seen no black ones as yet, but ... given the running free brown population ...!!! Maybe I should do a map of popular rat pop locations for the Gemeente and give it to them?
By Gerard | March 19, 2008 8:29 AM