Rats thrive in Sarajevo as rising diseases cause crisis

Health experts in Bosnia and Herzegovina are warning there is a serious public health problem in the capital.

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Social media posts from residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital have shown an abundance of rodents swimming in the Miljacka river which flows through the centre of the city.

Sarajevans long accustomed to poor public services have also posted photos of overflowing rubbish containers and illegal dumping – along with complaints that the authorities have failed to clear away dead animals from public areas including children's playgrounds.

It all makes for a wonderful environment for rats to thrive. For humans, however, the picture is rather less rosy.

Health experts blame a failure to control Sarajevo's rodent population for an alarming rise in the number of cases of rat-borne diseases.