Mumbai, October 3: Paris, the capital city of France, is facing a bedbug invasion just 10 months before the Summer Olympics in 2024. During the summer, the microscopic bugs were discovered in hotels and rental flats around the city. Then, moviegoers were disturbed by these bugs in cinemas, and now, social media users have noticed bedbugs crawling about on seats in high-speed trains and the Paris Metro. Photos and videos of bedbugs in the Metro train are going viral on X (previously Twitter), with passengers telling others to pay attention before sitting or dropping their baggage.

According to France24, the country's transport minister, Clement Beaune, has committed to "protect" the public from the threat by convening a meeting of public transport companies. Bedbugs were eradicated from daily life in France in the 1950s, but their comeback is mostly owing to increased population density and public transit. Northern Railway’s Lucknow Division Spent Rs 69.5 Lakh to Catch 168 Rodents in Three Years? Here’s What PIB Fact Check Says.

Bedbug Invasion in Paris

Paris City Council has reportedly 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 afterwards," he stated. US Man Found Dead Inside Jail Cell in Atlanta After Being ‘Eaten Alive By Insects’, Probe Launched.

Transport providers have stated that they would stay "extremely vigilant," and The Local France reported that there have been no fresh sightings since the one seen on video by a passenger last week. Companies that specialise in bug infestation removal claim they have been besieged 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 parasites because they like to nest in beds. They emerge at night to consume human blood.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 03, 2023 05:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).