France has been faced with a significant challenge in recent weeks following the outbreak of bedbugs that have caused havoc not only in Paris and Marseille but have also been spotted almost everywhere in the cities, creating panic among locals, as reported by News channel.
Notably, the French capital has been plagued by a bedbug infestation just 10 months before the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympics, which will be hosted by the European nation this year.
During the summer, reports of these tiny bugs in hotels and vacation rentals spread around the city. Later, bedbugs were also spotted in cinema theatres, and more recently, reports of bedbugs being spotted on seats in both national high-speed trains and the Paris Metro system have surfaced, according to News channel.
Specialist pest control companies in Paris have reported being overwhelmed recently. The possible risk to visitors to the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games particularly concerns Paris City Hall. Deputy Mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Gregoire, wrote to the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, stating, “Bedbugs are a public health issue and should be declared as such.” He called on the government to develop a national-level action plan to address the problem, according to News.
Even though bedbugs are small, they may be seen with the unaided eye. They can spread easily and love to hide in mattresses and other soft furnishings like curtains, but also between floorboards, in electrical sockets, and even behind wallpaper. They come out at night to feed on human blood. Tourists may unknowingly pick up these bothersome passengers in their baggage from an infected hotel in a crowded city like Paris, transport them by metro or other public transportation, and then drop them off in their seats. Bedbugs have a high fertility rate, which means that once they locate a place to feed and reproduce, they spread quickly regardless of hygiene, as reported by News channel, citing experts.
French Transport Minister Clement Beaune has already scheduled a meeting this week with several public transport companies with the goal of “reassuring and protecting” passengers amid the insect outbreak.
