LOS ANGELES, CA — Downtown Los Angeles is experiencing an outbreak of flea-borne typhus, the county Department of Public Health announced Thursday.

"Although typhus normally occurs throughout L.A. County, we are observing several cases in the downtown Los Angeles area," Los Angeles County Health Officer Muntu Davis said. "We encourage pet owners to practice safe flea control and encourage all cities in the county to ensure maintenance of their trash clean-up and rodent control activities."

Flea-borne typhus is a disease that infected fleas can spread to humans. It can cause high fever, chills, headache and rashes in people and can be treated with antibiotics.