Pest controllers called in after rats spotted at city hospital

Rat attack: Patients at the Victoria Infirmary reported the creatures.

Pest controllers were called in after patients and visitors reported seeing rats at a Glasgow hospital.

The vermin, which can spread salmonella and carry potentially fatal Weil's disease, were spotted near the A&E department of the Victoria Infirmary on the city's south side.

One visitor, a 46-year-old woman from Kirkintilloch, said: "It's revolting. It's like something from Victorian times, not something you would expect at a modern hospital.

"There's a lot of attention paid to stopping infections in wards but it all seems a bit ridiculous when you've got rats are roaming around outside.

"This is not the sort of thing that should be happening at a hospital in the 21st century."

Pest control teams have been called in to handle the outbreak at the hospital, where hundreds of patients, including many children and elderly people, are treated every day.

It is believed the rats may have been attracted by food from the hospital's kitchen.

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "One rat was found dead on the road outside the hospital and another found dead in a non patient area of the hospital however to suggest that we are dealing with a plague is wholly inaccurate and entirely misleading to the public.

"In all large towns and cities across the UK no-one is ever more than a few yards from a rat. This is one reason that most public bodies, including NHSGGC, and indeed private companies, engage the services of pest control companies to ensure against infestations.

"Inevitably there will be occasions where a rat will find its way into a public building. Patients should be absolutely reassured that the reports of such an infestation at the Victoria Infirmary are completely inaccurate."

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