Rat invasion sparks health fears in Taiwan after first hantavirus death in 26 years
Taipei is grappling with a rise in rodent sightings that has sparked public concern over urban sanitation and the threat of hantavirus.
In videos compiled by CNN, residents recorded rats roaming streets, outdoor markets, train stations and shopping malls.
The scare intensified following the death of an elderly resident in the Daan District earlier this year, marking Taiwan’s first hantavirus-related fatality in 26 years.
According to Taipei Times, officials trapped four rodents in the victim’s neighbourhood after the death, with two testing positive for the virus. Since then, only one other person has contracted the illness and survived, keeping the annual case count at two, consistent with previous years.
