While all eyes were on Paris Fashion Week which is considered one of the biggest events for the space in the world, the attention and news were directed to a completely different area... The majority of public spaces in Paris were filled with bedbugs, with tourists and citizens to be afraid.
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Social media has been flooded with videos, posts and testimonies from people who came into contact with the bugs and witnessed these unprecedented images. Seats in subways, buses, theaters, cinemas and hotel rooms were filled with bedbugs, causing a negative image to the outside world in general of the care of cleanliness and hygiene in the city of light which receives millions of visitors. The situation is more complicated though.
The appearance of bed bugs is not new to the French as they are observed every year at this time after the end of summer and it has nothing to do with the degree of cleanliness as it turns out. "Every late summer we see a large increase in bed bugs", he says Jean-Michel Berenger, entomologist at the central hospital of Marseilles and France's leading specialist in les pinaises. "This is because people move in July and August and bring them back in their luggage. And every year, the seasonal increase is greater than the previous one."
Not only Paris has been affected by the presence of bed bugs, but also other French cities. It has been pointed out by many scientists that the presence of such insects was triggered especially after the quarantine in many European cities. Much debate has opened up about dealing with the insect problem as Paris is expected to host the Olympics in 2024, marking the expected massive influx of sports teams and spectators and more. The French president E. Macron and the town hall have announced measures to limit and eliminate the phenomenon.
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are hemipteral insects that feed on blood, i.e. they are bloodsuckers, just like fleas. They belong to the family cimicidae, they do not fly and prefer to come out mainly for food at night. As an insect, it is "shy" and prefers to hide in dark places, which is why it is difficult to detect and treat it. Bites lead to skin changes such as redness and blisters. Symptoms take minutes or even days to appear and are accompanied by itching. Fever and fatigue may occur.
Where do bed bugs live?
- Beds & bedding
- Sockets
- Wall cracks
- Luggage
- Clothes
- Sofas & chairs
The psychological influence:
Those who have come face to face with bed bugs have shown entomophobia and mental exhaustion. Their final removal can take weeks, so people live daily in stress without being able to rest.
How can we get rid of bed bugs?
Disinfestation will be a demanding process which may have lasted from a week to months, depending of course on the extent of the infection. Experts recommend for drastic treatment to undertake disinfection crews with more powerful formulas.
What has led to the persistent presence of pests is their resistance to drugs and pesticides. Due to their easy movement, it is not unlikely that they will appear in any space. Therefore, it is expected that the phenomenon will occur in many areas. The UK is currently the second victim of bed bugs as they have reported the intensity of the issue. Therefore, Greece can be among these victims...
*Cover Photo: This image from the LIFE magazine archives first appeared on August 12, 1963. “Evening Traffic on the Champs-Élysées,” by Ralph Crane
