Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

SCHOOLS

Bedbugs force closure of 7 schools in France

The French Education Minister said that seven schools in France are closed due to the ongoing bedbug crisis gripping the country, with cases "piling up".

Published: 7 October 2023 10:54 CEST
Seven French schools have been forced to close amid bedbug infestations.
Seven French schools have been forced to close amid bedbug infestations. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)

France has been forced to shut seven schools over growing concerns over an infestation of bedbugs, Education Minister Gabriel Attal said Friday.

“Bedbugs were detected at various levels in… I believe 17 institutions, and currently as I speak to you, seven institutions are closed for this reason,” Attal told France 5 television.

The French government has held a series of meetings this week to examine surging numbers of reported bedbug cases at a time when France is hosting the Rugby World Cup and preparing to host the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Earlier Friday, the Education Ministry said in statement to AFP that five schools with a total of 1,500 students had been closed. 

Earlier this week, authorities announced two schools — one in Marseille and the other in Villefranche-sur-Saone outside Lyon in southeastern France — had been shut down for cleaning.

READ MORE Is there really a ‘plague’ of bedbugs in France?

“We have almost 60,000 institutions and we’re only talking about a few dozen here, but it’s true that cases are piling up,” Attal said.

“An immediate response is needed, so that we can have institutions treated within 24 hours.”

He said a list of “approved and recognised” companies had been prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and regional health agencies “so that the heads of schools can have the contacts and have them intervene very quickly.”

A municipal library in the northern city of Amiens is due to reopen on Saturday after being closed for several days after bedbugs were detected in public reading spaces, the city’s mayor Brigitte Foure told AFP. A sniffer dog found no trace of the pests after the library was treated, she said.

One-tenth of all French households are believed to have had a bedbug problem over the past few years, usually requiring a pest control operation costing several hundred euros which often needs to be repeated.

READ MORE How to handle a bedbug infestation in your French home

The blood-sucking insects have been spotted in the Paris metro, high-speed trains and at Paris’s Charles De Gaulle Airport.

But the individual cases have not been confirmed by the authorities and RMC TV reported that a probe by Paris transport operator RATP had found no bedbugs on its services.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

HEALTH

French health authorities warn of risk of ‘epidemic’ from mosquito-borne disease

French health authorities have sounded the alarm about the 'fairly high risk' of an epidemic of mosquito-borne illnesses in the next five years in France.

Published: 17 September 2024 10:58 CEST
French health authorities warn of risk of 'epidemic' from mosquito-borne disease

ANSES (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail), the French body for environment and health safety – published a report on Friday finding that France is at a ‘fairly high risk’ of epidemics linked to tiger mosquitoes.

Tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) are known for their ability to carry dangerous diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus. These diseases can be dangerous, but deaths are rare in countries where people have access to good healthcare.

So far, the insect has been detected in 78 of France’s 95 mainland départements – gradually spreading north as global temperatures warm.

READ MORE: MAP: Tiger mosquitoes reach northern France

ANSES wrote in their report that “in the next five years, an epidemic of mosquito-borne illnesses has a probability between 6 and 7, on a scale of 0 to 9.”

In terms of when the ‘epidemic’ level is reached, one of the two coordinators of the study, Émeline Barrès, explained in the report: “We talk about an epidemic when it is not possible to link all the infected people to one single outbreak.

“This means that the transmissions are beyond the control system.”

ANSES also added that “the emergence of an epidemic depends on a number of factors.

“These include the presence of tiger mosquitoes in the country, climatic conditions favourable to their reproduction (in particular the accumulation of hot days over a given period and rainfall), the arrival of infections in people from areas where viruses are circulating, and the effectiveness of measures to combat tiger mosquitoes and the transmission of viruses.”

What would happen if there was an epidemic?

Experts expressed concerns in a number of areas.

“In the event of an epidemic, the current means to prevent and monitor mosquito-borne illnesses would become overwhelmed”, the researchers wrote.

They also referenced fears about the health system being under strain if a large number of cases were to occur over a wide area, as well as impacts on the tourism industry.

Anses also recommended that local authorities be vigilant in ensuring that under-served populations have access to information, prevention resources and care, out of concern that an epidemic could exacerbate social inequality in France.

What is the current risk?

In recent years, cases of dengue and chikungunya have increased in mainland France.

From May 1st to September 10th, France reported 1,372 imported cases (meaning they were contracted outside of mainland France) of dengue fever.

READ MORE: How serious is the threat from dengue fever in France?

Health authorities also reported 13 imported cases of chikungunya and three of (imported) Zika virus.

Imported mosquito-borne illnesses in France tend to involve people who recently visited the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe – where the such diseases are endemic.

These islands are for administrative purposes part of France – so often show up in French health data – but they are roughly 7,000km away from Paris.

As for cases contracted in mainland France, local transmission remains rare.

In 2024, there have so far been 46 reported cases of locally transmitted (indigenous) dengue fever, according to Santé Publique France. There has been one case of ‘indigenous’ chikungunya so far in 2024.

In terms of location, the majority of these local infections have occurred in southern France.

Screenshot from Santé Publique France of a map of indigenous outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses in France.

In 2023, there were nine separate outbreaks of indigenous dengue transmission were identified, one of which occurred in the Paris region. These led to 45 cases of local transmission (in mainland France).

Until recently, researchers had been unable to identify contaminated mosquitoes, despite the presence of local transmission, but in 2023, researchers managed to trap tiger mosquitoes in the Drôme département who were carrying the virus. 

What steps can people take to stop the spread of tiger mosquitoes?

Anses noted that in addition to collective action and a response from health authorities, individuals can also take steps.

These include;

  • Regularly emptying outdoor bowls or receptacles filled with water in order to prevent them from becoming mosquito breeding areas
  • Covering rainwater collectors with mosquito netting
  • Protecting yourself by wearing long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing and by using insect repellent.

READ MORE: How to prevent the spread of tiger mosquitoes in France

SHOW COMMENTS