Alarming Bed Bug Infestation in Paris Spreads to Public Transportation, Restaurants

The alarming number of reports on bed bug infestation in Paris is worrying, and they are taking over the city's hotels, restaurants, and public transit. Officials have said that the infestation a public health issue.

Ten months before the start of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, bed bugs have taken over the French capital.

During the summer, restaurants and hotels all across the city received the first reports of the little bugs. Then there were tales of bed bug sightings in cinema theaters, and just recently, stories of bed bugs crawling on seats in both national rapid transit systems and the Paris Metro system have also surfaced.

Paris' Alarming Bed Bug Infestation: Public Health Issue

A metro train driver discovered unwelcome guests, bed bugs, in his cabin. Horrified passengers shared videos on social media, causing panic among travelers.

Some even abandoned ship for Morocco. Bed bugs were found on a passenger ferry from Marseille to Tangiers, Morocco, prompting disinfection procedures.

Tangiers authorities implemented strict monitoring to prevent bed bug spread from France. Paris insect treatment firms face overwhelming demand, with residents paying around $500 for eradication. Paris City Hall expressed concerns about the risk to Olympic and Paralympic Games visitors.

Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire urged the government to declare bed bugs a public health issue and formulate a national action plan. Transport Minister Clément Beaune scheduled a meeting with transport operators to reassure and protect travelers.

According to Anses, the French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety, more than one in ten French households experienced a bed bug infestation between 2017 and 2022. There was no correlation between household income and the likelihood of bed bug infestation, albeit better-income homes could afford treatment, according to the government.

The surge in bed bugs was attributed to increased travel and the insects' chemical resistance. The organization advises that certain households be given financial aid to help with the cost of bed bug extermination as a result.

Bed Bugs and Tourism

Even though bed bugs are tiny, they can be seen with the unaided eye. They are readily distributed and enjoy hiding in soft furnishings like curtains, mattresses, and floorboards, as well as in electrical sockets and even behind wallpaper. To consume human blood, they emerge at night.

Only blood can be consumed by bed bugs, and they require frequent blood meals to survive and grow. Bed bugs harm various warm-blooded animals, including chickens and other birds, in addition to humans.

In a crowded city like Paris, tourists may unintentionally pick up the troublesome bugs in their luggage from an infected hotel, carry them via the metro or another mode of public transit, and then drop the blood-sucking insects off in their seats.

When the presence of bed bugs has been detected, exterminators advise homeowners to act urgently. All potentially infectious clothing and bed linens should be sealed in garbage bags before being washed in a high-temperature setting.

Bed bugs have a high fertility rate, which means that once they locate a place to eat and reproduce, they spread quickly regardless of hygiene, according to experts.

Anses said that an increase in tourism and increased insecticide resistance were the two main causes of the current spread of bed bugs in France.