Giant snails that can grow up to eight inches long, the size of a rat, have forced an entire Florida town into quarantine.

The invasive shelled gastropods, which are native to Africa, are carrying the parasite lungworm that leads to meningitis in humans.

This quarantine will last for two years, but unlike the coronavirus lockdowns, residents are just prohibited from moving plants, soil, yard waste, debris, compost and building materials outside the zone.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) confirmed the creature had settled in the city of Port Richey, just north of Tampa, on June 23 and the area was quarantined the next day.

The snail is also damaging to the environment, feasting on more than 500 different plants, and has a taste for concrete, which is detrimental to infrastructure.

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https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2019/07/26/7575583526693457731/636x382_MP4_7575583526693457731.mp4

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10974573/Giant-snails-grow-big-RATS-Florida-town-quarantine.html