Bed Bug Crisis Has Reportedly Spread to Another Major City
If you've heard even a sliver of the news coming out of Paris this week, you know that the French capital is in the throes of a full-on bed bug outbreak. The insects are biting people everywhere from the airports to the Paris Metro, and all while tourism is booming for Fashion Week.
It's been theorized that the return of tourists from Paris Fashion Week could turn this outbreak into a global superspreader event- but is it already happening? Experts claim that bed bugs are already invading public transport in another major city, leaving locals in suspense.
Stay safe, Londoners- it looks bed bugs are already popping up on the London Underground. The question is, are these London bed bugs the dreaded Parisian insect invaders? This ominous blurb from @londonnewsandtravel only hints at the full situation, which is actually a lot more complex.
Londoners are understandably concerned about Paris's insecticide-resistant scourge invading The Big Smoke from across the English Channel. However, according to microbiologist and founder of Bed Bugs Ltd. David Cain, there's just one issue: bed bugs are already there.
"I think there's probably a similar level of issue in London as there is in Paris at present," Cain told Sky News in an October 5 article. "They're already on buses, trains, tubes, cinemas, doctor's surgeries, public spaces, hospitals."
The difference between London and Paris? Cain believes that a "culture of silence" is obscuring the full extent of London's bed bug problem from the public, while over in France, the situation is loudly and publicly being addressed. Cain also estimated 5% of households in London have had a bed bug infestation in the last two years, which, while not as severe as Paris's 1 in 10, is still rough and comparable to rates in New York City.
Ironically, the panic over the Paris bed bug outbreak might help improve the current sanitation situation on certain UK trains. A Eurostar spokesperson told Sky News that they were taking extra preventative measures, and would have their cleaning teams "disinfect a train on request or as soon as there is the slightest doubt."
Even so, a new influx of bed bugs could compound with London's endemic infestation and make things even worse. Now more than ever, it's important to check your hotel rooms and your luggage, wash and dry any potentially infected fabrics with high heat, and report any bed bugs seen on public transport to the appropriate authorities. Stay safe and insect-free out there!
For more WanderWisdom updates, be sure to follow us on Google News!
Have you had a funny, interesting, or just highly memorable experience while traveling? We'd love for you to submit a video of your travels for a chance to be featured on WanderWisdom and our social channels! Click here to upload your clip and share your adventures with the world.
