Health officials warn that an outbreak of flea-borne typhus is now taking place in downtown Los Angeles.

CBSLA reports that the Los Angles County Department of Public Health is investigating “several cases” of the typhus strain and warns that it is a “disease that infected fleas can spread to humans.” Fleas carrying the disease are found on rats, areas where there is an accumulation of trash, and cats, but pets do not get sick from typhus.

Fleas with typhus are a danger in “areas where there is an accumulation of trash,” as such an accumulation attracts wild cats, opossums, and other animals.

At this time, the county health department recommends pet owners “Use flea control products on pets.” They also recommend that people “wear pants tucked into socks or boots when outside” and “spray insect repellent with DEET on socks and pant cuffs.”

The health department also recommends that people:

Avoid being near wild or stray animals.

Never feed or touch wild animals, especially opossums, rats and stray or feral cats.

Store trash in cans with secure lids to avoid attracting animals.

Clear areas where rats and stray animals sleep, hide or find food, such as crawl spaces, attics or under decks, and wear gloves and a mask when clearing these areas.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.