The French government is urging calm as it works to combat a bedbug outbreak in the capital Paris.
Recent videos from Paris residents showing bed bugs infesting public transport, cinemas and other areas of daily life have led to calls for government action.
“You have to understand that in reality no one is safe,” Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire told French news channel LCI.
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As the Paris Olympics approach, French authorities are making efforts to eradicate bed bugs
The first deputy mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Gregoire, answers questions from journalists after the presentation of the pictograms of each discipline of Paris 2024 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
“Of course there are risk factors, but the reality is that you can catch bed bugs anywhere and bring them home,” he continued.
Transport Minister Clement Beaune said on Friday he would look into the infestation and begin meeting with transport companies in the coming days.
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The insect problem is not new – the French government launched an initiative three years ago aimed at informing residents about the spread of bed bugs and providing resources for dealing with them at home.
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On September 29, 2023, bed bugs were spotted in a sofa bed in L’Hay-les-Roses near Paris, France. (Portal/Stephanie Lecocq)
The infestation is made even more urgent by the upcoming Olympic Games, scheduled to take place in Paris next year.
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Residents and foreigners wonder whether the bug problem will dampen interest in attending the international sporting event, but the deputy mayor isn’t worried.
“There is no threat to the Olympics,” Gregoire told LCI. “Bed bugs have existed before, and they will exist afterward.”
This macro photo shows a single bed bug up close – the tiny insects typically form large colonies in dark, sheltered spaces, such as furniture or walls. (iStock)
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Deputy Mayor Gregoire called on insurers to include bedbug coverage in home insurance because low-income people rarely have the ability to use pest control companies.
Bed bugs feed on blood, and although their bites are small and usually non-threatening, contact can cause skin irritation and rashes.
Portal contributed to this report.