*Celebrities who recently attended Paris Fashion Week amid the city’s bed bug outbreak have been warned by officials to inspect their luggage thoroughly as the insects can make their way onto airplanes.
“Bed bugs can survive on planes inside luggage, and any other form of transportation,” Matt Frye, Ph.D., a community extension educator with the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University, shared with TODAY.com via email.
“You never know if the person next to you at the coffee shop, movie theater, library, train, etc. is dealing with bed bugs at home,” said Frye.
As we reported previously via CNN, Paris reported in early fall 2023 a “widespread” rise in bedbugs, including sightings on public transit — see the clip below.
Bed bugs seen crawling over seats on Paris trains and buses as France battles a bed bug invasion. pic.twitter.com/XnwcrQgVax
— Project TABS (@ProjectTabs) October 2, 2023
According to Michael F. Potter, professor emeritus in the Department of Entomology at the University of Kentucky, “bedbug infestations can happen in all types of places, hotels and other lodging are a major spreading spot, Potter said,” per CNN.
“Every traveler has to decide how vigilant they want to be in respect to bedbugs. Travel is stressful enough – or can be – and you’re trying to get away from all the things life throws at you,” said Potter. “So the last thing you want to be doing is … living out of your suitcase, living out of Ziploc bags, keeping your suitcase in the bathtub, which some people recommend but which I think is stupid.”
Potter noted that “… the scenario of record increases in travel and staff shortages in the hospitality industry is concerning in respect to bedbugs,” he said.
“One of the ways that bed bug populations expand is by hitchhiking on personal belongings,” he explained.
“If precautions are not taken upon arrival, then bugs could crawl off of those belongings and establish themselves in someone’s home,” said Frye.
As Complex reports, Top Notch Pest Control exterminator Larry Bernhardt said that the photos and videos coming out of Paris indicate an unusually large infestation.
“Usually they also only want to come out at night. So if they’re seeing them during the day, that’s extremely alarming that their numbers are really growing and they’re kind of feeling free to just walk around during the day,” he said. “They’re not a dirty bug. You could be the cleanest person in the world and still get them. We’ve done beautiful penthouses. You could have the cleanest apartment in the world that you could eat food off the floor from, and you could still have bed bugs.”
Dr. Jim Fredericks, a board-certified entomologist released a statement warning Hollywood celebrities at Paris Fashion Week about the risk of bed bugs. He advised storing luggage outside of hotel/rental bedrooms to avoid bringing the blood-thirsty bugs home, TMZ reports.
@c4news Social media users have been sharing videos of #bedbugs being spotted on train, bus and cinema seats in #Paris. Paris City Hall are urging the government to deal with the infestation before they host the #olympics2024 next year. #punaises #channel4news #tiktokfrance #punaisesdelit #ugcparis #pourtoi #pariscinema ♬ original sound – Channel 4 News
READ MORE: Bedbugs: What Travelers Need to Know | WATCH
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