"Can't Live Because of Bindae"... Seven Schools Already Closed in France

Education Authorities: "Bedbugs Found in Seventeen Schools"
Public Facilities in Paris Also Avoided... Standing on Subway Trains

France, ahead of next year's Olympics, is struggling with bedbugs. Recently, several schools have been forced to close one after another.

According to AFP on the 6th (local time), Gabriel Attal, France's Minister of Education, stated in an interview with local media that "bedbugs were found in seventeen schools, and seven of them have been closed because of this."

France, preparing for next year's Olympics, is struggling with bedbugs. Recently, several schools have been forced to close one after another. [Image source=Getty Images]

Earlier this week, two schools near Marseille and Lyon were closed for disinfection. Minister Attal acknowledged, "There are nearly 60,000 schools, and only about a dozen have been affected," but admitted, "The number is increasing." He added, "Immediate response is necessary," and "Authorities have secured a list of certified pest control companies to intervene quickly at schools if needed."

According to foreign media, recently French citizens have been avoiding public facilities due to bedbugs. In the capital Paris, some people have refrained from sitting on seats in public transportation such as subways and buses for fear of being bitten by bedbugs.

Bedbug found on a train seat in France. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Reports indicate that Paris public transport companies RATP and SNCF have received about ten and thirty-seven reports respectively of bedbug sightings. Cl?ment Beaune, Minister of Transport, announced, "We will strengthen pest control efforts in public transportation, especially deploying detection dogs on trains."

Despite Paris's image as a glamorous tourist city, it is notorious for poor sanitary conditions. In December 2017, there were reports of rats appearing near the office of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Interior, located near the Champs-?lys?es, Paris's busiest shopping street, leading to the installation of numerous rat traps.

According to the French Ministry of Housing, bedbugs mostly disappeared after the 1950s but have reappeared due to increased international travelers and resistance to insecticides. Recently, landlords and companies are reportedly spending billions of dollars annually on extermination.

In May 2019, a police union in Paris protested collectively to the government and the police headquarters, saying, "We cannot work because of fleas and bedbugs," which led to the closure of the police station's complaint office.

Bedbugs are insects that bite human skin while people sleep, sucking blood and leaving unpleasant itching. They are mainly found in temperate climates and are known to spread worldwide by attaching to old clothes. After World War II, their numbers greatly decreased due to DDT insecticides, but they have resurged since the ban on the use of highly toxic insecticides.

New York City in the United States also faced bedbug problems, leading to closures of luxury apartments, hotels, and the famous lingerie brand Victoria's Secret in 2010.

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