Title: France Shuts Down Seven Schools Amid Bedbug Infestation Threat
Date: Sat 7 Oct 2023 03.22 CEST
France has been forced to close seven schools due to a growing infestation of bedbugs, causing concerns among educators and parents alike. Gabriel Attal, the Education Minister, has emphasized the need for an immediate response to tackle the alarming rise in cases.
Attal confirmed that bedbugs had been detected in 17 educational institutions across the country. Currently, seven schools have been closed as a precautionary measure. Speaking to France 5 television, Attal stated, “An immediate response is needed so that we can have institutions treated within 24 hours.”
The French government held several meetings this week to discuss the surging number of reported bedbug cases, coinciding with the Rugby World Cup and preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Earlier in the week, authorities had already closed two schools for cleaning – one in Marseille and the other in Villefranche-sur-Saone near Lyon in south-eastern France. However, Attal sought to reassure the public, emphasizing that the affected institutions only constituted a few dozen out of the approximately 60,000 in France.
An approved list of pest control companies, prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and regional health agencies, will enable school administrators to quickly contact professionals for intervention.
In addition to schools, public spaces have also fallen victim to the bedbug infestation. A municipal library in Amiens is set to reopen after several days of closure, as bedbugs were detected in reading areas. The library underwent treatment, and a sniffer dog found no trace of the pests.
Bedbugs have become a persistent problem in France, affecting approximately one-tenth of all households in recent years. Typically, addressing a bedbug problem requires costly pest control operations, which often need to be repeated.
The parasitic insects have even been spotted in various public areas, such as the Paris metro, high-speed trains, and Charles De Gaulle airport. However, these individual cases have yet to be officially confirmed by the authorities, and a recent investigation by Paris transport operator RATP found no evidence of bedbugs on its services.
The French government is committed to taking swift action to mitigate the bedbug infestation, especially in educational institutions, to ensure the health and well-being of students and staff.