"High Fever with Hives... Bedbugs Found in University Dormitory Beds" Kept Quiet, Then Disinfected

Keimyung University Initiates Campus Disinfection Efforts

Bedbugs were discovered in a dormitory of a private university in Daegu, but the university initially kept quiet. As the controversy spread, they belatedly began pest control measures.

According to anonymous posts on Keimyung University’s bulletin board on the 19th, a student living in the newly built dormitory, Myeonggyo Residence Hall, complained of damage caused by bedbugs around mid-last month.

According to the anonymous bulletin board of Keimyung University on the 19th, a university student living in the newly built dormitory, Myeonggyo Residence Hall, complained of damage caused by bedbugs in mid-last month.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The author, Mr. A, claimed, "I visited the university hospital due to itching, hives, and high fever, and my inflammation level rose above 400," adding, "I found a large bug under the mattress." Mr. A said, "In September, I thought I was badly bitten by mosquitoes and went to the dermatology clinic, but even the doctor didn’t know what it was," and asked, "Is this from bedbug bites?"

According to Mr. A, when he raised the issue with the school, a school official instead accused him of spilling drinks, which caused the bedbugs and mold to appear.

However, Mr. A emphasized, "I don’t think this condition could have been caused by eating food," and added, "I hope such handling by the administrative office will never happen again."

Mr. A uploaded photos showing several suspected bedbugs on the mattress cover. On the same day, another anonymous user posted a photo on the same board showing a bug biting a leg.

When Requesting Pest Control from the Administrative Office, Response Was 'Not Our Responsibility'

Bedbug [Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

Not only Mr. A but several students requested pest control from the university dormitory administrative office due to the bedbug infestation. However, the response was that it was "not their responsibility." This quickly sparked controversy on the university’s bulletin board.

As the issue grew, the university belatedly confirmed the facts and disinfected the dormitory building that morning. They held an emergency meeting and issued guidelines to disinfect the entire university, including classrooms.

The bed in the residence hall where bedbugs were found was disposed of on the 17th, and the affected student was moved to another room the same day. A full inspection of the dormitory was conducted on the 18th, and all bedding is being replaced.

A Keimyung University official said, "The problematic room was previously used by a student of British nationality," and added, "For now, no one is allowed to use that room."

Bedbugs Also Found in Sauna in Incheon

Earlier, bedbugs were also found in a sauna in Incheon, prompting administrative authorities to take action.

On the 13th, Seo-gu District in Incheon inspected a sauna business and found one live adult bedbug and one larva under the jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) mat.

The business owner reportedly complained that bedbugs had appeared for about a month and that eradication was difficult despite ongoing efforts.

The sauna decided to suspend jjimjilbang operations temporarily and conduct disinfection work together with the Seo-gu Public Health Center.

A Seo-gu official said, "There have been no cases of bedbugs found in public hygiene businesses in the district in recent years," and added, "We plan to inspect other businesses as well following this incident."

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