French officials were forced to close seven schools throughout the country owing to a bedbug infestation, Education Minister Gabriel Attal said France 5 on Friday. The official stated that the number of reported instances is increasing.
According to Attal, bedbugs have been identified at varying levels at around 17 institutions, seven of which are currently closed for this reason.
“We have almost 60,000 institutions and we’re only talking about a few dozen here, but it’s true that the cases are piling up,” he said. He also pointed out that “an immediate response is needed so that we can have institutions treated within 24 hours.”
Paris is only nine months away from hosting the Olympic Games next summer, and local officials are pushing for a boycott.
Emmanuel Gregoire, the First Deputy Mayor of Paris, stated that the bedbug outbreak is “truly a national emergency.” The official went on to say that it is critical to fix the issue before the 2024 Olympics in Paris, as the entire country prepares to host the games.
According to ANSES, the French health and safety office, the country has been dealing with a bedbug epidemic for years, with more than one in ten families afflicted with the pests between 2017 and 2022. According to the organisation, the rise in bedbug infections has been linked to increased travel and the parasites’ rising tolerance to insecticides.
Infestation reports surfaced ahead of Paris Fashion Week, which took place from September 21 to October 3. Sky News stated on Thursday that the UK
