The Azerbaijan State News Agency

WORLD

France bedbug panic: Officials respond as Paris school infested

France bedbug panic: Officials respond as Paris school infested

Baku, October 7, AZERTAC

France's government is working hard to contain a national panic over bedbugs, as a Paris school becomes the latest building hit by a reported infestation.

Senior officials from the health, economy and transport ministries are meeting on Friday at the prime minister's office to co-ordinate a plan of action against the insects.

They are expected to speed up proposals for a national observatory on bedbugs.

Their aim is to establish an accurate picture of the phenomenon.

Entomologists and health experts have warned that although there has been an undoubted surge in the bedbug population - and not just in France - many recent sightings are false, and there is a risk of unwarranted hysteria.

Nicolas Roux de Bézieux, creator of the pest control website badbugs.fr, says in three out of four calls he gets from concerned homeowners, the problems turn out not to have been caused by bedbugs.

Romain Morzaderc, a pest-controller in Brittany, told Ouest-France newspaper that "in 99% of cases, yes there are nasty black insects, but no, they are not bedbugs".

The government has been alarmed by the way the bedbug story has dominated headlines at home and abroad. Ministers fear the image of Paris is being damaged, and that tourism could suffer, especially during next year's Olympics.

But they need to strike a delicate balance between reassuring the public, and at the same time raising awareness of a problem that needs prompt action if it is to be properly controlled.

Transport Minister Clément Beaune said on Wednesday that of nearly 50 reported sightings of bedbugs on metro and SNCF trains, not one had been verified.

"I wouldn't like to see a kind of French-bashing take hold… as it does sometimes in Anglo-Saxon countries," he said.

"The problem needs to be taken very seriously. No denial. And no hysteria."

Over recent weeks, pest-control companies across France have reported a huge increase in bedbug call-outs. Experts say there is always a pick-up after the summer holidays, and every year the surge is getting bigger.

"It's happening in cities everywhere," said Mr Roux de Bézieux.

Bedbugs have also been reported in cinemas, trains, hospitals and schools. Social media has hugely amplified public anxiety - though many videos circulating on the internet turn out to be of insects that are not bedbugs.

In the latest verified case, teachers at the Elisa-Lemonnier lycée (high school) in the 12th district of Paris refused to work on Friday after several classrooms, offices and changing areas were found to have bedbugs.

Among other measures under consideration by government are regulating the price of eradication; clarifying financial responsibilities between flat-owners and renters; and a registered list of pest-control companies.

Fear of being conned by cowboy operators can lead worried flat-owners to delay calling in help.

According to France's leading expert on bedbugs, Jean-Michel Berenger, many pest-controllers have minimal training and are unscrupulous about intervening even when they know bedbugs are not the issue.

Amid the hype, public education about bedbugs has certainly taken a step forward - which is important for tackling future surges.

Share news on social media

Follow us on social network

Mastercard accelerates card fraud detection with generative AI technology

Azerbaijan joins meetings of European Federation of Accountants and Auditors for SMEs

Azerbaijan Army servicemen participate in courses held in Türkiye

First human case of H5N1 detected in Australia

President of Tajikistan visits Alley of Martyrs in Baku

President of Tajikistan visits grave of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in Alley of Honors

Azerbaijani Greco-Roman wrestler takes European silver in Baku

BTA to cover thoroughly upcoming European elections

BHOS hosts ‘Addım At’ forum

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon arrives in Azerbaijan for state visit

Azerbaijan`s Milli Majlis vehemently condemns biased views of Chairman of Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies

World’s most expensive feather sold in New Zealand auction for $28,000

Man charged with spying for Hong Kong found dead

Prime Minister Ali Asadov attends official commemoration ceremony in Islamic Republic of Iran

® New feature from Birbank: Ninja offers in the mobile app now

Brazil surpasses record 5 mln dengue cases

Istanbul to host 2026 UEFA Europa League, 2027 Conference League finals

Speaker of Azerbaijan`s Milli Majlis meets with Turkish parliamentary delegation

Azerbaijan, Türkiye discuss prospects for military cooperation

Date of Baku-hosted 2025 Minifootball World Cup revealed

Istanbul hosts 2nd Meeting of Presidents and Representatives of Councils of Judges of OTS member and observer countries

People in Iran bid farewell to late president VIDEO

Students of Baku Higher Oil School win ‘Innovative Methods in Education Development II’ competition

Ariane 6 launch scheduled for the first half of July

Indiana Pacers lament Game 1 overtime loss to Boston Celtics

Kazakhstan suggests setting up int’l Aral Sea dried bottom afforestation center

Academician Nargiz Pashayeva: At times, historical errors were made, and some manuscripts were catalogued under incorrect addresses

Turkish MPs informed about "ASAN Xidmet" center

UNESCO: Our relationship with nature and with other living beings needs a radical rethink

ADA University hosts workshop on COP29

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Science and Education holds meetings during Education World Forum

Turkish delegation visits Alley of Honors, Alley of Martyrs and "Turkish Martyrdom" monument

Professor Edmund Herziq: Nizami Ganjavi unified catalogue will be published in three languages

International Booker Prize 2024: German win for Kairos

Leyla Aliyeva holds meetings at United Nation’s office in Switzerland

Azerbaijan`s Prime Minister to visit Iran

® Shahin Bagirov meets with Caspian Energy Club members

Oil prices fall in global markets

Azerbaijani oil price down in global markets

Release of the Press Service of the President

“International Policy Digest” publication highlights lasting peace opportunities in South Caucasus

Monkeys are dropping dead from trees in Mexico as a brutal heat wave is linked to "mass deaths"

2nd Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Interregional Forum features signing of bilateral documents

Azerbaijani wrestler crowned European champion in Baku

“Nizami Ganjavi Manuscripts Union Catalogue and Database” project presented to scientific community

Northern Cyprus’ PM meets Azerbaijani, Turkish Ombudspersons

Azerbaijani FM, Acting Foreign Minister of Iran hold phone talk

Turkish Airlines resumes Afghanistan flights after 3-year hiatus

Biden denounces ICC for ‘outrageous’ implication of equivalence between Israel and Hamas

Azerbaijan poised to host 2025 Minifootball World Championship

Scarlett Johansson takes on OpenAI over chatbot voice

Northern Cyprus' President receives Azerbaijani and Turkish Ombudspersons

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva congratulated judoka Hidayat Heydarov on winning world championship title

Landmine blast kills one in Azerbaijan’s Tartar district

Azerbaijan hosts inauguration of first Professional Chovgan League

Azerbaijani, Turkish ombudspersons visit Parliament of Northern Cyprus

Afghanistan floods affect over 30,000 since year-start: UN

UN: Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29 is an important achievement for the country

Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister: We invite our Uzbek colleagues to participate in COP29

Azerbaijan Railways delegation embarks on visit to China

Azerbaijani U13 table tennis players to vie for European medals in Romania

Cuba declares one day of public mourning over Raisi martyrdom

Russia ready to help Iran investigate Raisi’s helicopter crash, Shoigu assures

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Science and Education holds bilateral meetings as part of Education World Forum

Azerbaijan, Tajikistan discuss cooperation opportunities

SCO foreign ministers observe moment of silence over death of Iranian President

AzerGold releases gold coin collection featuring Icherisheher monuments

Central Bank: $80m worth of demand fully covered at FX auction

Schools in Pakistan's Punjab to remain closed for 7 days amid heat wave

® Bakcell CEO met students of the Heydar Aliyev Modern Educational Complex

President Ilham Aliyev visited Embassy of Iran in Azerbaijan, offered his condolences over the death of the Iranian President and other individuals in helicopter crash

President Ilham Aliyev received Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan

8 killed in road accident in central Peru

Czech Republic records nearly 15,000 cases of pertussis, 6 die

® Advantegous offers continue for those transferring their loan obligations to Kapital Bank

Defense Ministry: Another tasks fulfilled at EFES - 2024 multinational exercise

Google invests 1 billion euros in Finnish data centre to drive AI growth

UN: Secretary-General is closely following normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan  - EXCLUSIVE

U.S. regulator ends prelim review of Tesla's Model X over seat belt issues

® Azerconnect Group actively engaged in Business Forum held within COP29

Azerbaijani oil price surges in global markets

Oil prices fall in global markets

Iranian presidential election to be held on June 28 after deadly helicopter crash

Türkiye to observe day of national mourning for Iran's Raisi

Another Azerbaijani wrestler advances to final of European championships

Azerbaijani, Georgian foreign ministries hold political consultations

Hidayat Heydarov crowned world champion VIDEO

Release of the Press Service of the President

Eruption of Indonesia's Mt Ibu forces seven villages to evacuate

President Ilham Aliyev appoints Shahin Bayramov as rector of Karabakh University

1st Black astronaut candidate waits 60 years to break record as oldest space traveler at 90

bp developing inclusive teaching skills for primary schools in Azerbaijan

Baku hosts inauguration of U23 European Championships 2024

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Science and Education attends Education World Forum in London

Azerbaijani judokas win 6 medals in Malaga

Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis offers condolences to Speaker of Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran

® Baku Steel Company CJSC signs MoU on mutual cooperation with government agency of Tajikistan

Julian Assange's wife urges United States: Cease deplorable attack on journalism!

Azerbaijan’s Central Bank issues new metal coins into circulation

Azerbaijan, Latvia discuss COP29 preparations