Typhus Cases Reach Record Levels In LA County With 9 Of 10 Requiring Hospitalization

LOS ANGELES, CA — A record number of flea-borne typhus cases have been recorded in Los Angeles County, prompting health officials to issue information about how residents can avoid the disease — which very often requires hospitalization.

In 2025, 220 cases of flea-borne typhus were recorded in LA County. That’s the highest number ever recorded — and a 17% increase in the number of cases in 2024, which saw the second-most cases on record, according to the LA County Department of Public Health.

Among those people who have been identified as being infected with typhus, 90% were hospitalized, officials said.

Among the 220 cases last year were three localized outbreaks in Central Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Willowbrook.

The county data includes figures from all cities and unincorporated areas except Pasadena and Long Beach.

The most recent data for Long Beach shows the city recored 34 typhus cases between January and mid-October, which made 2025 a record-breaking year.

People are often exposed to typhus in and around their homes, when infected fleas are carried indoors on pets or other animals. Fleas that spread typhus are commonly found on stray animals, rats and mice, opossums, and other wildlife, according to health officials.

LA County has grappled with typhus over the last decade. It became a particularly hot political issue in 2018 and 2019.

In 2019, city officials considered ripping out all the carpets in City Hall amid a typhus outbreak in downtown Los Angeles. At least one city employee was possibly infected to the disease while at work, the City Council president said at the time.

Of particular concern at that time were homeless encampments and other areas where trash had been allowed to accumulate — conditions that are attractive to rats, officials said.

A Los Angeles Police Department officer previously sued the city, claiming he contracted typhus on the job in 2019.

The LAPD in 2019 unveiled a germ-fighting robot at the Central Station after at least one officer contracted the disease. That came after the department was fined by state officials for failing to train employees about how typhus is transmitted.

The number of cases in 2018 and 2019 pales in comparison to those recored in 2025. In 2018, 109 cases were recorded. The next year, 92 cases were recorded, according to county data.

Symptoms generally appear within one or two weeks of infection. They can include high fever, chills, headache and rash in humans and, if not treated with antibiotics, can also lead to hospitalization and, in rare cases, death.

Rats, cats and opossums do not show symptoms of the typhus infection.

Residents can protect against the disease by using flea-control treatments on pets year-round, avoiding handling or feeding stray animals, and keep wildlife away by security trash cans and blocking entry points and hiding places on residential properties.

“Flea-borne typhus can cause serious illness, but it is preventable with simple steps,” said county Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis. “With cases at an all-time high and most requiring hospitalization, it’s critical that people take simple steps now, such as routinely using flea control on their pets, avoiding contact with stray animals, and preventing wildlife from living in or around their homes.”

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City News Service contributed to this report.