"Hong Kong, a Disneyland-like place for bedbugs"…Pesticide Sold Out Crisis

Pest Control Company "Bedbugs Can Spread Between People"
Insecticide Sales Surge 172 Times During Guanggunje

In Hong Kong, where the hot and humid climate frequently causes various pests to appear, fears of bedbug infestations from Korea have led to a sharp increase in insecticide sales. During the Guanggun Festival online shopping event, insecticide sales surged by 172 times compared to previous years.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 14th, Hong Kong e-commerce platform Shopline reported that during the two days of the Guanggun Festival shopping event on the 11th and 12th, sales of pest control and bedbug insecticides increased by 172 times. One seller reportedly sold travel kits for bedbug prevention worth 2 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately 340 million KRW) in a single day due to their popularity.

Shopline told SCMP, "This shows a significant level of concern among Hong Kong citizens about the widespread bedbug problem and a proactive effort to prevent bedbug infestations." Following recent news about bedbug outbreaks in Korea, as well as in European countries such as the UK and France, Hong Kong?already sensitive to pest control issues due to its hot and humid climate favorable to pests?is becoming even more alert.

Hong Kong pest control experts have also warned that Hong Kong’s small land area, high population density, and hot, humid climate create an optimal environment for bedbugs, which have always been prevalent there. Francisco Pazos, CEO of the Hong Kong pest control company Novedberg-HK, told SCMP, "Hong Kong is like Disneyland for bedbugs. It is so densely populated that there are many places for bedbugs to lay eggs, and they can be spread through people." He added, "We usually handle about 400 pest control requests per month, but in the past three days, we have handled a month’s worth of work. The current workload is unbelievably high."

Recently, photos of bedbugs on seats of the Hong Kong Airport Express have circulated on social media, intensifying public fear. Although the authenticity of the photos has not been confirmed, Hong Kong airport and railway authorities stated that no bedbugs were found during inspections and promised to strengthen checks. However, the bedbug phobia has yet to subside.

Henry Cheung, a consultant at Ivy Pest Control in Hong Kong, said, "We usually receive 8 to 10 pest control service requests per month, but this month we have already exceeded 20." He pointed out, "This increase in work is not because the actual number of bedbugs has risen, but because awareness and vigilance about bedbugs have increased." Most pest control requests reportedly come from districts with high population density.

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