In a development that has sparked widespread concern, French Education Minister Gabriel Attal disclosed on Friday that authorities have been compelled to shutter seven schools in light of a burgeoning bedbug infestation. Speaking to France 5 television, Attal divulged that bedbugs have been detected “at various levels in… 17 institutions. Currently, as I speak to you, seven institutions are closed for this reason.”
This week, the French government convened a series of meetings to deliberate upon the escalating reports of bedbug infestations at a time when France is in the global spotlight, hosting the Rugby World Cup and preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of National Education reported the closure of five schools, accommodating 1500 students, in a statement to Agence France-Presse.
Prior in the week, authorities announced the closure of two schools – one in Marseille and the other in Villefranche-sur-Saône, outside Lyon in southeastern France – for fumigation purposes. Attal emphasized that “the cases are increasing”, affirming the necessity for an “immediate response, so we can sanitize institutions within 24 hours.” He outlined that a list of “approved and recognized” companies has been prepared in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and regional health agencies, enabling school principals to liaise swiftly and orchestrate rapid interventions.
The bedbug predicament extends beyond schools. A municipal library in the city of Amiens (north) is scheduled to reopen on Saturday following several days of closure due to bedbug detection in public reading areas, as articulated by Amiens’ Mayor Brigitte Four to France Presse. Subsequent to the library’s sanitization, police dogs found no trace of the insect.
It is believed that tens of thousands of French families have grappled with bedbug issues in recent years, a problem that not only incurs a financial burden, often amounting to several hundred euros for eradication processes, but is also recurrent in nature. Citizens have reported spotting the blood-sucking insect in the Paris metro, high-speed trains, and Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, though authorities have not confirmed this. A Paris transport company investigation, conveyed by RMC TV, found no bedbugs in its facilities.
The instances of bedbug infestations ripple through not only the daily lives of the French populace but potentially pose a reputational risk amidst forthcoming international sporting events, invoking concerns regarding the nation’s preparedness and capacity to navigate such public health challenges comprehensively and effectively.
