"Letting Go of Dogs to Catch Bedbugs": Paris's Predicament Ahead of the Olympics

"Despite 'No Evidence of Bedbug Infestation,' Detection Dogs Deployed"

As reports of bedbugs appearing throughout Paris ahead of next year's Olympics continue, authorities have proposed deploying 'detection dogs' as a solution.

French Minister of Transport says "No cases of bedbugs" but announces 'deployment of detection dogs'

A French netizen posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) claiming to have found bedbugs on a train.
[Photo source=X capture]

On the 4th (local time), according to the British daily The Guardian, Cl?ment Beaune, France's Minister of Transport, stated, "We will deploy detection dogs to investigate whether there are bedbugs on trains and the Paris metro," while also saying, "There is no evidence of bedbug occurrences."

Minister Beaune emphasized that although 10 reports of bedbug sightings were received by the Paris public transport company (RATP) and 37 by the French National Railway Company (SNCF) in recent weeks and were investigated, not a single bedbug was found.

He held an emergency meeting attended by major public transport operators that day, stating, "If there is a problem, we will handle it, not deny it," and stressed, "There are no bedbug occurrences in public transportation."

The meeting was organized to inform public transport operators about measures to protect passengers.

After the meeting, Minister Beaune explained, "All public transport operators will strengthen overall disinfection procedures, and deploying detection dogs is the most effective method." Additionally, authorities plan to disclose bedbug reports and confirmed infection cases every three months.

The reason Minister Beaune took charge by mentioning specific figures is that major international sports events are being held consecutively in France, including the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which opened last month and runs until the end of this month, followed by the Paris Olympics in July next year.

Since over one million visitors and 20,000 athletes from 206 countries are expected to visit Paris during the Olympics, French authorities are on high alert regarding the impact that bedbug sightings could have on the country's tourism industry and national brand.

The day before, in the National Assembly, the Renaissance party, to which President Emmanuel Macron belongs, also announced that it will propose a bipartisan bill for bedbug prevention in early December.

Thought to be eradicated... Large-scale extermination in 2020, but reports have surged in recent weeks

Bedbugs, which feed on the blood of humans and animals, are considered a typical pest of developing countries and were believed to have disappeared in France in the 1950s.

However, as tourists from various countries come and go in France, the hygiene conditions of accommodations and other facilities have deteriorated, causing bedbugs to occasionally become rampant. It is also pointed out that bedbugs have developed resistance to insecticides, making them difficult to eliminate.

In 2018 alone, it was estimated that bedbugs appeared in a total of 400,000 locations including hotels, hospitals, theaters, and apartments. In response, the French government launched a large-scale bedbug eradication campaign in 2020.

Moreover, in recent weeks, there have been consecutive reports of bedbugs found on trains and subways in France, leading to a significant increase in demand for disinfection companies.

On social media (SNS), photos claiming to show bedbugs found on trains or at airports have been posted, and stories about bedbugs appearing even in movie theater seats and schools have been shared.

As a result, some have expressed the opinion that they would rather stand than sit on a train seat and risk being bitten by bedbugs.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.