CDC's latest warning: Hungry, aggressive cannibal rats

As COVID-19 has limited restaurant and commercial services -- it has also limited the garbage generated by those services. That is leading to increased "unusual an aggressive" behavior in rodents who rely on that garbage for food, according to new information regarding rodents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That is leading rats to be much more aggressive than usual, typically in urban areas, where there are reports of starving rats eating their dead, eating each other, and eating their own young to survive.

The CDC says:

Jurisdictions have closed or limited service at restaurants and other commercial establishments to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Rodents rely on the food and waste generated by these establishments. Community-wide closures have led to a decrease in food available to rodents, especially in dense commercial areas. Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity as rodents search for new sources of food. Environmental health and rodent control programs may see an increase in service requests related to rodents and reports of unusual or aggressive rodent behavior."

Video in New Orleans shows some fearless rats eating food dropped in the middle of the road:

New Orleans tour guide Charles Marsala told CBS News:

I turn the corner, there’s about 30 rats at the corner, feasting on something in the middle of the street."

In Chicago, restaurant owners are complaining about aggressive rats.

You can read more about the CDC's rodent guidelines here.