As the current rubbish situation worsens, experts have warned that warmer temperatures might be lethal for Birmingham citizens.
The city has been plagued by ongoing bin strikes, which have caused streets to pile high with an estimated 170,000 tons of rubbish.
Workers have been on strike for weeks after the Labour-run Birmingham City Council announced intentions to cut rubbish collection jobs and wages to strengthen its finances.
The strikes started on March 11 when members of the Unite union walked out over the long-running dispute.
The local authority in the city has since declared a ‘major incident’ amid rising concerns about public health.
Now, with highs of 21C forecast for the coming week, the increased heat could put residents at a tremendous threat of disease.
As rats continue to thrive in the city’s filth, with some reported being ‘the size of cats,’ concerns have been raised that they could begin to spread Weil’s disease.
The potentially deadly disease is a bacterial infection which is found in the urine of feral animals. It is known to spread quickly in warm weather.
Infectious disease expert Dr Elizabeth Sheridan told The Telegraph that Weil’s – can be spread by rats – is what she is most concerned about for residents.
She said the heat makes rats breed faster, creating a higher risk of people coming in contact with the creature’s urine.
She added: ‘Most people don’t know if they have been exposed to rat urine. You are at risk if you handle things that rats have been running over and that gets into your system.
‘For example, if you were handling bin bags and it got into your eyes or you put your hands in your mouth.
‘If anyone is handling stuff where rats have been, they should wear gloves and wash their hands.’
Dr Sheridan said that the disease can prove fatal in certain cases, but added that most people will have a fever that can be treated with antibiotics.
However, the severe symptoms are most likely to occur in older adults with weakened immune systems.
Between 2020 and 2023, there were on average 57 confirmed cases and 89 possible cases of Weil’s disease, according to the UK Health Secretary Agency.
Headaches, stomach aches, body pains, vomiting, and fever are some of the symptoms.
In 2010, Olympic gold medalist rower Andy Holmes died from the disease after a 26-mile sculling marathon.
Adam Kent, a Worcestershire councillor for the Wythall area, revealed the problem in a photo he posted on social media last month. He called the contrast ‘deeply concerning’.
To make matters worse for cash-strapped Birmingham City Council, which was declared virtually bankrupt in 2023, wants to raise the ‘rat tax’ – the charging for pest control – a service which was once free.
Outraged residents now have to pay £24 per call out but the council plans to hike costs once again to £26.40.
Rebel councillor Sam Forsyth has slammed the Labour-run council, telling BirminghamLive she had ‘no choice’ but to vote against their budget proposals as increased ‘rat tax’ would hit the city’s most impoverished the hardest.
But speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on April 2, Sir Keir Starmer said: ‘In relation to the situation in Birmingham, it is completely unacceptable.
‘I fully support the council in declaring a major incident to resolve the situation and we will put in whatever additional support is needed.’
The rat infestation has become so dire the rodents have been dubbed the Squeaky Blinders because they seem to have the city in their grasp – much like the Peaky Blinders gang of the late nineteenth century which inspired the BBC drama series of the same name.
Mr Timms, who runs WJ Pest Solutions, says he caught a 22-inch rat last week – the same size as a ferret, some monkeys or a small dog – and has only had one day off in nearly three months.
He said: ‘The issue is getting out of control. There are bags piled 5ft high and 10-15ft across.
‘Rats the size of kittens are being seen daily. I had one last week that measured over 22 inches in length.’
Mr Timms said that ‘on the odd occasion’ West Midlands Police had been called out to help deal with the problem, but the force today denied that its firearms unit had been involved in tackling the rodent menace.
Other pest controllers across Birmingham say they have also seen business levels double since the strikes began and there’s also been a surge in cockroaches.
Mr Timms added: ‘Work increase has been 50 per cent more compared to previous years. Cockroach calls have also gone up too.
‘As a born and bred Brummie, I feel disgusting how the city looks.
‘On my street alone we have bins that haven’t been collected, with black sacks starting to pile up, I had a day off for the first time in two months as my wife and body were telling me it’s time for a break.’
There appears to be turmoil and unhappiness anywhere there is a council that is ruled by the Labour Party.
Labour doesn’t seem to be content with just bringing in third-world citizens, they’re even terraforming areas into natural habitats for them.
Unfortunately, despite being urged not to, individuals chose to vote for Labour. Now we have this vile mess, its entire corrupt administration, and a serious health risk.
I can see the return of the plague, and the silence from Starmer is deafening.
We need the bin guys, so just give them what they’re requesting before things go out of control.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 