Paris Bed Bug Scare: Health Chief’s Message Of Assurance And Guidance

In Paris, a news report explains an alarming situation of bed bugs being spotted on public transport a few weeks ago raising panic among residents and public officials as this has led to a prolific increase.   

Bed bugs are blood-sucking insects that can lay one million eggs in just one minute, within 5 minutes, it is possible for bed bugs to produce trillions, it is indeed something to be fearful of because if action is not taken, there is a high chance of driving citizens out of their own country.

In an interview with France Inter on Tuesday, Rousseau reassured citizens that there is “no need for a general panic” and that France has not been “invaded  by bedbugs.”

As of last week, Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire has asked the government to take action to eliminate the scourge of bedbugs ahead of the 2024 Olympics set to take place in the city next summer and bring a huge influx of tourists.

Emmanuel Grégoire also told French TV “No one is safe. You can catch them anywhere and bring them home and not detect them in time until they have multiplied and spread.”

He also explained that Paris authorities had received tremendous calls for assistance and private companies had a high demanding level of requests for fumigation in recent weeks. He said the government must take rapid action instantly at every level of the state.

Despite assuring the public to relax, Rousseau did specifically say that “when you have a bed bug, it’s hell.” He further added that it was worse for low-income households who cannot afford the high cost of private fumigation companies.

In recent weeks, videos of bedbugs in trains and on Paris Metro have been trending on the internet. According to French news, Bed bugs disappeared from France around 1950 before returning back in the 1990s due to increased international travel.

Some travelers on the Paris Métro have insisted on standing rather than sitting in order to avoid picking bed bugs to invade their homes.

Over the summer, when a Paris cinemagoer posted on social media about bed bugs, cinema companies issued statements about how they treated seats. However, fumigation companies have reported an increased demand to clear private homes.

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The transport minister, Clement Beaune said “I will convene public transport operators next week to inform them about countermeasures and how to do more for the protection of travellers”.

Representatives from Paris city hall wrote to the prime minister, Élisbeth Borne, pleading for a dedicated national task force to deal with the insect using what is called “scourge”.

 This issue has caused restlessness and everyone is seeking for the best possible solutions to exterminate and prevent the spread of these blood-sucking insects. According to reports from the French National and Sanitary body discovered that between 2017 and 2022, 11% of French homes had been infested.

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The head of leftwing La France Insoumise Party in Parliament, Mathilde Panot explained bitterly how people are seriously affected as it causes health problems and mental problems such as sleep deprivation, psychological distress, anxiety, and depression, while the government is relaxing claiming it’s an individual problem and should be sorted out in the ways that suit them. As the case may be, private fumigation companies are charging an extremely high cost to spray chemical products that bed bugs are resistant to.

She has clearly urged the government to take action as she said “It’s a public health problem not individual.”

She vehemently took her stand and said the government should coordinate action across state bodies, fix the price of treatment, and ban certain chemicals that did not work.

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