Plagues usually happen when rain follows
several years of drought. The current plague is the worst that many
can remember in some areas. https://t.co/VSBAxA8WcY— We Are Iowa Local 5 (@weareiowa5news)
June 22, 2021
澳洲過去曾遭受乾旱、火災與洪水等天然災害重挫，再加上春季良好的氣侯，皆成了鼠患肆虐的溫床。
自2020年春季以來，澳洲新南威爾斯州遭受數十年來最嚴重的鼠患。近日老鼠數量仍持續激增，更大舉入侵惠靈頓（Wellington）懲教中心，當局已下令，在月底前將400多名囚犯轉移至其他監獄安置。
根據《BBC》報導，近日惠靈頓懲教中心的鼠患非常嚴重，屋內天花板、電線皆遭老鼠咬穿或咬斷，許多基礎設施也遭受嚴重破壞，還有一些老鼠死在牆洞內，不但造成屋內環境臭氣熏天，腐爛屍體更引來不少蚊蟲。
Inmates EVACUATED after plague of mice chews
its way into prison https://t.co/MtCr8VS7Bz— The Sun (@TheSun_NI)
June 22, 2021
據報導，惠靈頓懲教中心目前已停止開放探監，並預計在月底前完成約420名囚犯和200名工作人員的轉移工作。大多數工作人員將被重新部署到新州西部地區的其它懲教中心，囚犯則將被分散轉移至其他監獄關押。
In my upcoming article I talk about the
glimmer of hope for NSW farmers as recent cold weather poses a
threat to mice populations, as well as experts fears of the cold
not being enough to terminate the plague entirely.
#jrnl103
#miceplague #NSW#Australia
#Farmers
#mouseplague pic.twitter.com/rV5403H2hB— Sienna Wallace (@SiennaWallace11)
June 18, 2021
對此，新南威爾斯州矯正服務廳（CSNSW）專員塞弗林（Peter
Severin）也宣布，為保護工作人員與囚犯的健康，將監獄關閉4個月並同時進行清潔、維修作業，並且做好防範措施，以免類似情形再度發生。
Inmates at a New South Wales jail will be
relocated due to the mouse plague. Rodents have chewed through
wiring & damaged ceiling panels at Wellington Correctional Centre.
About 420 male & female prisoners will be transferred to other
jails in the region https://t.co/PdSuj1Dvuk— Prison_Health (@Prison_Health)
June 21, 2021
華客新聞 | 時事與歷史：老鼠大軍已經入侵到監獄！ 420名囚犯緊急撤離…