Tag: Bedbugs

Bed bugs: Eurostar on alert as Paris grapples with infestation

The blood-sucking tiny creatures have been spotted in homes, cinemas, hospitals and trains – but a government minister has insisted there is “no outbreak” on Paris’s public transport network.

image of bed bugs on the skin covered with blanket
Bed bugs are seen in the seams of a sofa bed in L’Hay-les-Roses near Paris

Eurostar staff are on alert due to a bed bug infestation in Paris, which has hit the French capital in recent days.

The blood-sucking tiny creatures have been spotted in homes, cinemas, hospitals and trains – but a government minister has insisted there is “no outbreak” on Paris’s public transport network.

Amid fears the critters could spread in the UK, Eurostar said it has extra cleaning measures to help disinfect its cross-Channel trains if required.

blue train running on track with green scenery around
Eurostar said the presence of bed bugs on its trains was ‘extremely rare’. File pic

A Eurostar spokesperson told Sky News: “The safety and wellbeing of our customers is always our number one priority and the presence of insects such as bed bugs on our trains, is extremely rare.

“The textile surfaces on all of our trains are cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis and this involves hot-water injection and extraction cleaning, which has proven highly effective in eliminating bugs.

“Any reports on hygiene matters are taken very seriously and our cleaning teams, in addition to the usual cleaning, will also disinfect a train on request or as soon as there is the slightest doubt.”
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/bed-bugs-eurostar-on-alert-as-paris-grapples-with-infestation-12977030

Paris Crawling With Bedbugs As French Capital Prepares To Host Olympics Next Year

Despite the concerns, Paris’ deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said that there is “no threat to the Olympic Games”.

Videos of bedbugs in Paris Metro have gone viral on social media.

France’s capital Paris is battling an invasion of bedbugs, just 10 months before the 2024 Summer Olympics. The tiny pests were first spotted in hotels and rental apartments across the city during the summer. Then, moviegoers were disgusted by these bugs in theatres and now, social media users have reported bedbugs crawling around on seats in high-speed trains and Paris Metro. Photos and videos of bedbugs in the Metro train are going viral on X (formerly) with passengers warning others to pay attention before sitting on a seat or dropping their bags.

France24 said in a report that country’s transport minister Clement Beaune has vowed to “protect” the public from the menace by holding a meeting of public transport operators.

Bedbugs had disappeared from daily life in France in 1950s, but their resurgence is mostly due to high population density and more mass transit.

Paris city hall has urged President Emmanuel Macron to take measures to check the infestation, including creating a dedicated task force, said the outlet.

But despite these voices, Paris’ deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said that there is “no threat to the Olympic Games”, and urged everyone to work together to solve the issue. “Bedbugs existed before and they will exist afterward,” he added.

Transport operators have said they will remain “extremely vigilant” and The Local France said there have been no more recent sightings since the one caught on camera by a passenger last week.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/paris-crawling-with-bedbugs-as-french-capital-prepares-to-host-olympics-next-year-4444777 

 

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