Los Angeles Records 220 Flea-Borne Typhus Cases in 2025, Public Health Warns of Escalating Rat Epidemic

Los Angeles County reported 220 cases of flea‑borne typhus in 2025, the highest number ever recorded, according to a press release issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) on April 2, 2026. The report notes that nearly nine out of ten patients required hospitalization and that the county’s five‑year average for typhus cases has doubled.

The disease, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi and transmitted by fleas that live on rats, has been on the rise in the county since 2009. In 2009 the county recorded only nine cases; by 2018 it had reached a record 109 cases, and the numbers climbed to 171 in 2022 and 187 in 2024. The 2025 figure of 220 represents a 2,300 percent increase from 2009 and a 17 percent jump from the previous year.

DPH officials say the surge is linked to a combination of factors that have created a “perfect storm” for rat proliferation. The agency cites crumbling infrastructure, a persistent homelessness crisis, garbage‑ridden streets, and limited rodent‑control resources. In a recent presentation, DPH staff admitted that the “increasing volume of cases is quickly exceeding capacity to investigate and respond” and that the department receives “no funding specifically for flea‑borne typhus related activities.”

The county’s rat problem has been highlighted by private pest‑control firms. In 2025 Orkin released a list of the most rat‑infested major U.S. cities. Los Angeles was named the country’s rattiest city, a first since the list’s inception a decade earlier. Orkin’s national technical director, Shannon Sked, said the pandemic had changed food availability and that the rats that survived were more aggressive and more willing to interact with humans.

Local officials have struggled to address the issue. In 2020 California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1788, which restricted the use of second‑generation anticoagulant rodenticides to protect wildlife such as mountain lions. Four years later, Newsom signed AB 2552, further expanding those restrictions. Sked argues that the regulations have removed a key tool for urban rat control.

The problem has manifested in several high‑profile incidents. In March 2026 a city employee wrote to Councilwoman Nithya Raman about a large rat infestation at an abandoned building in the hills. In June, a warehouse fire in Boyle Heights destroyed refrigeration for 85 million pounds of frozen food, prompting Mayor Karen Bass to declare a state of emergency. Residents reported a “giant rat” swarm and a stench of rotting meat.

The most recent outbreak occurred in the Pico‑Union neighborhood in 2026. Public‑health officials reported five cases, all of which required hospitalization. The county’s latest press release notes that the outbreak is part of a broader trend of localized clusters in dense urban areas.

The city’s rat problem is compounded by inadequate municipal services. In Skid Row, homeless residents report frequent encounters with aggressive rats. In Koreatown, a large rat burrow was found under a sidewalk near a homeless encampment. A university advisor for human‑wildlife interactions, Niamh Quinn, described a city block in which the sidewalk was covered in unbagged trash, creating “harborage” for rodents.

DPH’s 2026 update also highlighted that the county’s public‑health system is operating at capacity. The agency said it has “no funding specifically for flea‑borne typhus related activities,” making it difficult to respond to the growing number of cases.

The county’s response has been limited by budget constraints and regulatory restrictions on rodenticides. In 2018, the county’s public‑health officials identified nine typhus cases linked to downtown, six of whom were homeless or living in transitional housing. The outbreak highlighted the link between rat infestations and vulnerable populations.

In 2025, the county investigated three localized outbreaks and noted that 90 percent of typhus patients required hospitalization. The county’s public‑health department has called for increased funding and a coordinated approach that includes improved waste management, targeted rodent‑control measures, and public‑education campaigns.

The situation underscores a broader public‑health challenge: balancing wildlife protection with human health. While California’s laws aim to protect species such as mountain lions, the restrictions have made it harder to control rat populations that carry disease.

As of 2026, Los Angeles County remains at the forefront of a public‑health crisis that has its roots in urban infrastructure, homelessness, and regulatory policy. The county’s record of 220 flea‑borne typhus cases in 2025 signals a need for urgent action to curb the rat population and protect residents.