Small bugs bring big trouble-International-China Engineering Network

Original title: There has been a “global resurgence” of bed bugs in the past 20 years, and people in many countries in Europe and Asia have been unbearable since this summer – (Quote)

Small bugs cause big trouble (theme)

Liang Fan

Bed bugs, also known as bed bugs, are small insects that feed on human blood and make the skin itchy after their bites. Recently, they have caused a big “crisis” – from Europe to Asia, there have been cases in many countries. The people were unbearable and their color changed after smelling “lice”.

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The South Korean government recently announced that from November 13 to December 8, it will be a key bed bug prevention and control period. The Ministry of Health and Welfare will jointly work with local governments to conduct high-level inspections of accommodation, social welfare facilities, school dormitories, educational renovation facilities, public transportation, etc. Conduct bed bug inspection and elimination in risk locations.

In mid-October, a Korean blogger stated on an online social platform that bed bugs were found in a sauna in Incheon, in the central and western part of the country. Later, relevant authorities found a total of 8 bed bugs in the floor gaps under the sauna mats. Adults and larvae. Subsequently, bed bugs were also found in a private university dormitory in Daegu, southeastern South Korea.

By the end of October, bed bugs had spread to Seoul. Bed bugs had appeared in 18 of the 25 districts in Seoul. Among them, Yongsan District, where the Presidential Palace of South Korea is located, was very seriously infested. According to Yonhap News Agency, as of November 6, more than 30 reports of bed bug infestations have been received in 17 cities and provinces across South Korea.

Faced with these almost invisible “enemies”, many Korean people have fallen into panic. Some people would rather stand in public places than sit on cloth seats for fear of being bitten by bed bugs or taking them home. According to reports, sales of insecticides in South Korea have recently surged by 813%, sales of bedding cleaning products have surged by 610%, and sales of bed covers and cushion covers have increased by 111%.

People in the United Kingdom and parts of the United States are also having the same troubles as the Korean people.

According to reports, London pest control companies have received a large number of business inquiries related to bed bugs this month. Bedbugs have been found in offices, homes, tubes and even cars in west London, one company told Reuters. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the threat of bed bugs on London’s public transport was “worrying”.

Bed bugs are also on the rise in New York. The person in charge of the postal pest control company in Staten Island, New York, said that after the Paris Fashion Week from September 25 to October 3, “New York celebrities and Internet celebrities came back with unwelcome souvenirs.” The parasites are “transmitted in people’s clothing, personal belongings and luggage… where they find their way into the tiniest of habitats”.

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According to reports, the bed bug crisis first originated in France. Bed bugs have been found in many places in France since the end of August. Statistics from the French Pest Control Chamber of Commerce show that home inspections related to bed bugs in France increased by 65% ​​this summer.

There are reports that more than 20 schools in France have had to temporarily close due to bed bug problems. A recently released government survey report shows that about 11% of French families are troubled by bed bugs, and many people suffer from insomnia, psychological problems, absenteeism from work and school, etc. caused by bed bugs.

As a bed bug scare spreads, the Paris city government is concerned about the impact on tourism and the image of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Paris Deputy Mayor Gregoire called the spread of bed bugs a “public health” issue that the French government must address before the Olympics next July. Gregoire also specifically mentioned that in the context of rising prices, low-income families cannot afford the expenses of pest control companies.

However, in an interview with the media, a French government adviser believed that the Parisian people’s concerns about bed bugs were exaggerated, pointing out that the bed bug problem has existed for decades. A survey shows that from 2017 to 2022, more than 10% of French households will have bed bugs. All experienced bed bug infestations.

The French Minister of Health and Disease Prevention previously stated that bed bugs are really annoying. “When you see bed bugs around you, when you find bed bugs in your home, it’s like a nightmare.” However, he denied that the country was suffering from bed bugs. Bed bugs “invasion”, saying there is “no reason for widespread panic” at the moment.

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Data show that bed bugs mainly feed on human blood and are usually active at night. They mainly live in indoor walls, gaps in wooden furniture, bed sheets and other places. They can also hide in the gaps between tables and chairs in transportation and public places, and pass through Clothes and luggage transport for mobile migration.

Some experts said that although a variety of pathogens have been found in bed bugs, compared with some other serious pathogenic insects, the probability of bed bugs biting humans and transmitting diseases is lower. However, bed bugs have stronger survivability than mosquitoes, and the amount of human blood they suck is seven times that of mosquitoes. Each blood meal lasts “as short as 3 minutes and as long as 10 minutes.” Different people react differently to its bites, with most symptoms being red, swollen and itchy skin.

There has been a “global resurgence” of bed bugs over the past 20 years, according to a January study. Researchers believe that the increased movement of people after the COVID-19 epidemic, the increased resistance of bed bugs to existing insecticides, and the rising temperatures that facilitate their rapid reproduction are all important reasons for the resurgence of bed bugs.

Faced with the continuous reports of bed bugs and public complaints, governments around the world are also taking measures, including introducing sniffer dogs, placing new monitoring devices, and hiring professional pest control companies. At the same time, various countries also recommend that people clean their rooms regularly and check their luggage carefully before returning home.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government recently announced the establishment of a bed bug reporting and management system and plans to inspect more than 3,000 accommodation facilities, saunas, etc. with a high risk of bed bug outbreaks. In addition, Seoul City has also urgently allocated 500 million won (approximately RMB 2.77 million) to improve the sanitary conditions of shantytowns, examination halls, and public transportation facilities such as subways and buses, and to strengthen bed bug prevention and control. According to a report by “Korean News” on the 9th, the South Korean government has established a “Bed Bug Joint Response Headquarters” and has also produced a special bed bug information manual.