Berkeley health officials have confirmed leptospirosis at a West Berkeley homeless encampment after tests found infected rats and dogs, and they are urging people in the area to avoid standing water, protect their pets, and seek care if they develop symptoms. The bacterial illness spreads through animal urine and contaminated water or soil, and local authorities have set up high-risk zones and evacuation recommendations around Harrison Street. This notice explains what was found, how the disease spreads, who’s most at risk, and the practical steps people and pet owners should take right now.
City testing found Leptospira bacteria in multiple rats and some dogs near the encampments along Harrison Street by Eighth Street. That confirmation moved the situation beyond a possible risk into a documented public health concern for people living or working nearby. Officials are treating the site seriously because animals can quietly pass the bacteria into the environment through urine.
Rats are the main vectors of leptospirosis in urban settings because their urine can contaminate soil, puddles and any standing water. “Homeless encampments breed sewage, which attracts rats,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital. That connection between poor sanitation, rodents and disease is why the city wants people to stay away from identified hotspots.
The alert spells out how people and animals pick up the infection. “People or animals who touch or drink contaminated water or mud are potentially exposed to the bacteria,” the alert stated. “The disease is transmitted to humans and animals when the contaminated water touches mucous membranes, such as eyes, nose, mouth or skin cuts. This disease is not spread in the air or by coughing or sneezing.”
Risk rises with heavy rain and flooding because storms spread contaminated water and increase contact with soil and puddles. After downpours, puddles that look harmless could carry leptospira from animal urine, so cleanup and avoiding wet ground matter more than usual. The city’s message is clear: waterlogged areas near the encampments are not safe places to camp or let pets roam.
Leptospirosis often starts with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting, and it can progress if untreated. People may also develop jaundice, rashes, stomach pain or diarrhea, and severe cases can involve kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis or breathing problems. Illness usually appears between two and 30 days after exposure, so recent contact with contaminated water or animals is important to report to clinicians.
Treatment requires proper medical care; antibiotics shorten the course and prevent complications, while delayed care can leave people recovering for months or facing serious organ damage. The city recommends anyone who thinks they were exposed or who feels sick seek immediate medical attention. At the same time, protecting wounds, wearing gloves for cleanup and keeping pets away from suspected contaminated areas are practical early steps.
The public health alert established defined zones to guide residents and outreach workers, with a Red Zone marking the highest risk and surrounding Yellow Zones indicating elevated but lower risk. “The presence of rats that are transmitting leptospirosis has made the area unsafe for human encampment conditions in the vicinity of Harrison Street encampments in the area generally bounded by San Pablo Avenue, Gilman Street, Codornices Creek and the railroad tracks,” the alert stated. “The City’s Health Officer strongly recommends that encampment residents move out of the defined encampment ‘RED ZONE’ area as soon as possible and at least ⅓ of a mile away due to the public health risk caused by the rat infestation transmitting leptospirosis in the area,” officials advised.
Pet owners should be especially cautious because dogs are vulnerable and can bring infection into households. “Leptospirosis can be spread through standing water, soil and contact with animals carrying the disease,” she confirmed to Fox News Digital. A veterinary vaccine exists for dogs and is available from veterinarians, which can reduce risk for animals regularly exposed to outdoor, urban or wildlife environments.
Practical preventive actions include avoiding contact with puddles and mud near the encampment, using protective clothing and gloves for necessary tasks, monitoring any animals for illness, and promptly seeking veterinary or human medical care if symptoms appear. Public health teams are continuing surveillance, outreach and cleanup guidance, and following basic precautions now will reduce the chance of more people or pets getting sick.
