Bedbugs in France - 18th October 2023

France is experiencing an increase in bedbugs. Many people are worried. They've seen videos of bedbugs on seats in the metro and trains in Paris. But the Ministry of Transport said that there's no increase in bedbugs.

Is there really a problem? Or is it a social media invention?

Around the world, people have reported bedbugs in their homes. No one's safe.

Dr Mohand Arezki Izri says that the bedbugs in French hotels arrived with international travellers.

Dr Mohand Arezki Izri: "The first reports of bedbug infestations are coming from the big hotels, the palaces, the five-star hotels, where there are no hygiene problems, that's for sure. It's people who have travelled and brought back bedbugs and left them in the hotel."

Bedbugs feed on human blood. They mainly do this at night while people are asleep.

Virginie takes the train often. So, she's making sure to keep her Paris home safe from bedbugs.

Virginie: "I've never had bedbugs. But it's true that we're hearing a lot about them at the moment, so I'm quite careful. As soon as I get home, I change my clothes and put everything in the wash, precisely to avoid bringing any back, because apparently there are more and more of them. As I travel a lot by train, I'm quite careful."

The French government's trying to fix the problem in Paris. They don't want visitors for the 2024 Paris Olympics to feel anxious. They're taking all reports of bedbugs in public places seriously. But, these bedbugs are different from bedbugs in the past. They won't die easily. This has made the problem more challenging.

Sabine Vainqueur blames social media for the panic. She thinks bedbugs are normal and we don't need to worry about them.

Sabine Vainqueur: "I've always lived in Paris, and I've always seen stories about bedbugs around. And now, I have the impression that on social networks, because there's a lot of talk about it, there's a bit of a fuss, when in the end, well, it's something we do pay attention to on a daily basis, but nothing more."