New York City rat sightings increase sharply

Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Rat sightings in New York City have increased dramatically over the last year, despite a concerted effort to curtail the spread of the rodents, the city's records showed on Tuesday.

Data from the city shows staff recorded almost 21,600 rat complaints through the end of September, an increase of 74% over the same time period in 2020.

The 21,577 rodent reports over the first nine months of the year marks a 15% year-over-year increase.

New York City tracks all rat sightings and complaints, with the data available online.

The number of sightings during the first four months of 2022, was the highest on record for each individual month, dating back to 2010.

New York mayor Eric Adams has staunchly campaigned against rats since before taking office.

Amid a surge of the rodents into the streets from new construction sites, councilman Erik Bottcher introduced legislation that would mandate that developers employ pest control measures.

At the end of July, a group of New York residents filed a lawsuit seeking an end to the outdoor dining shacks built during the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging they have led to a boom in trash and rats.

Adams and his administration is also considering shrinking the window for garbage collection in the city from the current four-hour period.