National Emergency Due to Serious Bedbug Problems? Concern in Paris as Olympics Loom

① Bedbug infestation ahead of the Paris Olympics

The 33rd Summer Olympics will be held next year in Paris, France. It will take place from July 26th to August 11th, 2024. There is a lot of anticipation as this is the first Olympics to be held in Europe in 12 years since the 2012 London Olympics.

For the first time in Olympic history, the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics will be held outside of a stadium. The ceremony will unfold alongside a parade on the banks of the Seine River, featuring 10,500 athletes. Theatre director Thomas Jolly will direct a unique parade and art performance, combining the athletes’ entrances. Expectations are high ahead of the Paris Olympics.

However, Paris, France, is currently on high alert ahead of the Paris Olympics. This is due to the bedbugs infesting all over Paris.

Bedbugs tend to increase from July to August, but this year, they are found in various places such as subways, trains, movie theaters, and apartments. The Paris city and the French central government have prevented the bedbugs. The BBC reported that the bedbugs infesting Paris are causing ‘insect phobia’ and raised questions about public health ahead of the Paris Olympics.

The BBC pointed out that the bedbugs issue has reached a ‘national emergency’ level. The increase in bedbugs in Paris is not sudden but dates back several years. One in ten apartment residents in Paris has experienced bedbugs in the past five years.

② The problem is they are being found in everyday places

Local French media reported that many passengers were anxious after reports of bedbugs on a train from Marseille in the south to Paris. The impact was felt when a passenger found bedbugs on a train to Lille in the north and posted a photo on social media.

Local media reported, “Reports of bedbugs on trains have been posted on social media three times in the past week,” and “Some passengers even got off the train midway to avoid the bedbugs.” The photo of the bedbugs found on the train has been viewed over seven million times. Many people are anxious about the bedbugs found in everyday life.

Bedbugs have been frequently found in France until now. French entomologist Jean-Michel Bérenger analyzed, “Bedbugs significantly increase every late summer,” and “Because people move a lot in July and August and carry bedbugs through their luggage.” The bedbugs found in France mostly appeared in cheap accommodations and apartments with poor sanitary conditions.

However, bedbugs now appear unexpectedly, leading to a severe situation. This is not the first time bedbugs have plagued France. In 2018, bedbugs appeared in a total of 400,000 places. In 2020, bedbugs were found in hospitals and movie theaters, becoming a social issue.

The government eventually took the lead in eradicating bedbugs. The French government established a ‘Bedbug Extermination Hotline’ and promoted methods to eradicate bedbugs. The minister in charge was bitten by bedbugs twice in 2020.

In France, they even check for bedbugs when getting a new apartment. French people blame tourists for the persistent bedbugs. They mostly think, “It’s because some tourists and immigrants bring them.”

③ Investigating trains with detection dogs

With the Paris Olympics approaching, the French government is putting all its efforts into eradicating bedbugs. Recently, French authorities announced that they would deploy detection dogs to investigate bedbugs on trains. Clément Beaune, the French Minister of Transport, said detection dogs would be deployed to check for bedbugs on trains and the Paris subway. However, he added that there was no evidence of bedbug infestation.

Although there were 10 reports to the Paris Transport Company (RATP) and 37 to the French Railway Company (SNCF) about bedbugs, he emphasized that none was found. In an emergency meeting, he reiterated, “If there’s a problem, we handle it, we don’t deny it. There’s no bedbug infestation in public transportation.” At the end of the meeting, all public transportation operators were told to strengthen overall hygiene procedures, and deploying detection dogs was presented as the most effective method.

The authorities plan to disclose bedbug reports and confirmed infection cases every three months. Many are curious whether the bedbug extermination in Paris can be carried out effectively with the Paris Olympics approaching.

By. Han Mia