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LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Los Angeles County Supervisory Board on Tuesday approved a typhus pilot program in homeless camps following a recent outbreak.
The program will include street cleaning, housing provision and the provision of mobile showers, hand sanitizers and flea control products to those remaining on the streets, City News Service said.
Typhus is caused by a bacterium found in infected fleas that can come from many animals, including cats, rats and opossums. The accumulation of waste that attract animals can increase the risk of exposure.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger said she did not want to be alarmist, but was disrupted by the living conditions in her district, which included the foothills of Pasadena, Glendale and the San Gabriel Valley.
"When I go through parts of my district and see the living conditions on the street, it reminds me of a third world country," Barger said. "We provide showers and they always stay in filthy conditions."
The board responded to recent typhus outbreaks in downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena, Long Beach and Willowbrook.
The Department of Public Health has reported 64 cases so far this year, up from 67 in total last year. This does not include the cities of Long Beach or Pasadena.
Pasadena confirmed 20 cases, compared to one to five cases per year. Long Beach has more than doubled its historical case rate, with 13 reported so far.
Symptoms may include high fever, chills, headaches, and rashes.
Typhus is not contagious among people and is treated with antibiotics.
The county is already seeking to provide services and housing for people living in homeless camps, but these efforts are not always closely coordinated with street cleaning to control garbage, sewers and the rat population.
Barger recommended a pilot housing program to identify and target areas at increased risk of exposure to typhus and other communicable diseases.
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