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Rats on the rise

Sheria Brathwaite, sheriabrathwaite@nationnews.com

Added 11 February 2019

rat

There is an upsurge in the rodent population in Barbados and it is costing Government almost $200 000 annually in its baiting programme.

The problem has become so widespread that seven of the nine polyclinics with health inspectors attached to them have been increasing their requests to the Vector Control Unit for bait two or three times a month.

“They are definitely on the increase,” said a senior official in the Ministry of Health, who spoke only on condition of anonymity. “We used to have about 70 people a day [going to the polyclinic] but because of the garbage collection challenges we have been having with the Sanitation Service Authority for about the past two years ago, that has increased to about 90 or more persons per day.

“Polyclinics are now demanding more bait from the Vector Control Unit, sometimes requesting close to 1 000 packs per month, compared to 400 packs in the past.” (SB)

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