South Korea bed bugs are overwhelming different outdoor and indoor places across the country, causing a sense of mass itchiness amongst the public, according to reports this week. The widespread bed bug infestation has prompted that East Asian nation to be on high alert, especially after a surge in confirm cases involving the tiny insects. Due to the growing threat, South Korea declared war to one of the world's major nuisance pests.

To address the issue of bed bug outbreak, local authorities implemented a clean-up campaign with the aim to kill the blood-sucking bed bugs and prevent their further reproduction. Although authorities have taken the threat seriously, these creepy bugs have a history of being resilient to modern anti-bed bug chemicals and pesticides. Over the past year, similar infestations have been reported in France and the United Kingdom.

South Korea Bed Bugs

Since the end of October, 30 suspected or confirmed bed bug outbreaks have been reported across South Korea, including infestations in university dorms, train stations, and bathhouses in the capital city of Seoul. In response, the South Korean government launched a four-week campaign to tackle the issue in what several reports call, a 'global resurgence of bed bugs' in recent years.

Outside South Korea, bed bug infestations were also seen in multiple countries worldwide, including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, as mentioned earlier. In France, a bed bug problem is creeping in the city of Paris with rising cases reported in October.

Although bed bugs and their bites are not considered to be dangerous, they can still cause an allergic reaction that may require medical attention, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health experts say that bed bugs do not spread diseases, but they can cause serious discomfort and skin-related infections.

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What Kills Bed Bugs?

Surprising as it seems that small bed bugs may look fragile just like other insects. However, anecdotal evidence, documentaries, and some pest control reports reveal that bed bugs are hard to kill. Just like other pests, one of the main factors behind such resilience is the ability of bed bugs to adapt against pesticides over time.

Yet, it is still possible to kill or control bed bugs, which in recent decades have increased their presence not only inside apartments, hotels, and houses, but also in public transport and vehicles. Experts say that the spread of these bugs are accelerated in parallel with human migration.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it has registered more than 300 products that can be used for bed bug control and these products fall into seven classes of chemical pesticides:

  •  Pyrethrins
  •  Pyrethroids
  •  Desiccants
  •  Biochemicals
  •  Pyrroles
  •  Neonicotinoids
  •  Insect growth regulators

Despite the availability of these products, the EPA warns that some bed bugs have developed resistance to these lethal compounds.

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