Paris, France’s capital, is facing a bedbug invasion just ten months before the Summer Olympics in 2024. During the summer, the microscopic bugs were first discovered in hotels and rental apartments throughout the city. The bugs horrified moviegoers at the time, and today, social media users have reported bedbugs crawling around on seats in high-speed trains and the Paris Metro. Photos and videos of bedbugs aboard Metro trains are going popular on X (previously), with passengers urging others to be cautious before seating or dropping their baggage.
Bedbugs are the moniker given to these blood-sucking pests because they like to nest in mattresses
France24 said in a report that the country’s transport minister Clement Beaune has vowed to “protect” the public from the menace by holding a meeting of public transport operators. Bedbugs were eradicated from daily life in France in the 1950s, but their comeback is primarily owing to increased population density and mass transit. According to the site, the Paris city council has requested President Emmanuel Macron to take action to combat the infestation, including the formation of a specific task force.
Despite these concerns, Paris’ deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire claimed there is “no threat to the Olympic Games” and asked everyone to work together to fix the problem. “Bedbugs existed before and they will exist afterward,” he stated. Transport providers have stated that they will stay “extremely vigilant,” and The Local France reported that there have been no fresh sightings since the one seen on camera by a passenger last week. Companies that specialize in bug infestation removal say they have been overloaded in recent weeks. A single visit can cost several hundred dollars, and the pest treatment process must frequently be repeated. Bedbugs are the moniker given to these blood-sucking pests because they like to nest in mattresses. They emerge at night to consume human blood.