What are the likely health hazards from rats and other animals during flooding?
In developing countries leptospirosis (Weil’s disease) can follow flooding. This is because the rats that carry the infection are washed out of their normal living spaces. Leptospirosis following flooding in the UK has not been commonly detected. If the inside of your home is affected • Remove dirty water and silt from the property including the space under the ground floor if you have wooden floors. This space may need pumping out. • Clothing, bedding and other soft/fabric articles including children’s toys etc should be laundered on a hot wash (60°C or the highest temperature indicated on manufacturer’s instructions) which will destroy most germs that may be present. Other soft furnishings that have been contaminated and cannot be put in a washing machine will have to be professionally cleaned or, if this is not possible, may have to be disposed of. • Wash down all hard surfaces with hot soapy water until they look clean. • Allow to thoroughly dry – this will also help to destroy ger
