France has been compelled to shut down seven schools due to a concerning bedbug infestation, as confirmed by Education Minister Gabriel Attal on Friday.
"Bedbugs were detected at various levels in... 17 institutions, and currently, as I speak to you, seven institutions are closed for this reason," Attal revealed during an interview with France 5 television.
This crisis has prompted the French government to hold a series of meetings throughout the week, to address the increasing number of reported bedbug cases.
This surge in cases coincides with France hosting the Rugby World Cup and preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Earlier on Friday, the Education Ministry, in a statement to AFP, announced the closure of five schools, affecting a total of 1,500 students.
Earlier in the week, authorities disclosed the shutdown of two schools—one in Marseille and the other in Villefranche-sur-Saone outside Lyon, in southeastern France—for thorough cleaning.
Attal emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, "We have almost 60,000 institutions, and we're only talking about a few dozen here, bu cases are indeed piling up.
An immediate response is needed, so that we can have institutions treated within 24 hours."
To address the crisis, a list of "approved and recognized" pest control companies has been collaboratively prepared with the Ministry of Health and regional health agencies.
This list aims to enable school administrators to quickly enlist the services of these companies.
In the northern city of Amiens, a municipal library is set to reopen on Saturday after being temporarily closed due to the detection of bedbugs in public reading areas, as reported by the city's mayor, Brigitte Foure, to AFP.
Fortunately, a sniffer dog found no traces of the pests after the library underwent treatment.
Notably, approximately one-tenth of all French households have encountered bedbug issues over the past few years, necessitating pest control operations that can cost several hundred euros and sometimes require repeated treatments.
These blood-sucking insects have even been spotted in unexpected places, including the Paris metro, high-speed trains, and Charles De Gaulle Airport.
However, the specific cases reported in these locations have yet to be officially confirmed by authorities, with RMC TV reporting that a probe by Paris transport operator RATP found no bedbugs on its services.
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