France Worries about Bedbugs as 2024 Summer Olympics Near
2023-10-11
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1Officials in France are worried about the spread of an insect called the bedbug as Paris prepares to hold the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
2Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne called a meeting of ministers to deal with the bedbug crisis.
3The country's transportation minister, Clé ment Beaune, recently met with transportation companies to make a plan for monitoring and disinfecting.
4Beaune also spoke about reducing worry caused by reports on social media.
5He told reporters there is no increase in bedbug cases.
6He added that 37 cases reported in the bus and Metro train system and many other reports from trains have proved false.
7The National Agency for Health and Food Safety reported that 11 percent of households had a bedbug problem between 2017 and 2022.
8Because many people might not want to say in public that they have a bedbug problem, the agency used a poll by the company Ipsos to collect the information.
9The insects are about the size of an apple seed. They neither jump nor fly.
10However, they have become more resistant to chemicals used to kill insects.
11And they can stay alive for up to a year with no food.
12The carbon dioxide humans give off makes the insects become active and try to bite, explained Jean-Michel Berenger.
13He is a scientist who studies insects.
14He raises bedbugs in his laboratory in the infectious diseases division of the Méditerranée University Hospital in the city of Marseille.
15For now, Berenger said, this much is clear: "Bedbugs have infested the media."
16Experts say it makes no difference if a home is clean or dirty.
17The insects simply want to bite people to get blood, explained Berenger.
18"Whether you live in a dump or a palace, it's the same thing to them," he said.
19Worry about bedbugs has increased business for insect control companies in France.
20They use dogs to smell the special odor that bedbugs make. Then, they use hot steam to kill the bugs.
21Kevin Le Mestre is director of Lutte Antinuisible, a company that removes unwanted insects and animals such as rats.
22He said that in the past, people would not call his company even if they had been bitten by a bedbug.
23But now he said his company is getting many calls from people worried about the insects.
24The increase in public worry began about a month ago after reports of bedbugs at a Paris movie theater.
25Videos began popping up on social media, showing the little insects on trains and buses.
26Some government officials want to create new rules to fight against bedbugs.
27Lawmaker Mathilde Panot recently brought a glass container of bedbugs to the Parliament to criticize the government, claiming it had let the insects spread quickly.
28Because bedbugs travel easily on clothing or in luggage, they are a cause of worry for officials ahead of the 2024 Olympic games.
29"All human population movements are profitable for bedbugs because they go with us, to hotels, in transport," said Berenger.
30Beaune, the transport minister, is hopeful that steps can be taken to reduce the public's fear.
31But, he added, "It's hell, these bedbugs."
32I'm Andrew Smith.
1Officials in France are worried about the spread of an insect called the bedbug as Paris prepares to hold the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. 2Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne called a meeting of ministers to deal with the bedbug crisis. The country's transportation minister, Clé ment Beaune, recently met with transportation companies to make a plan for monitoring and disinfecting. 3Beaune also spoke about reducing worry caused by reports on social media. He told reporters there is no increase in bedbug cases. He added that 37 cases reported in the bus and Metro train system and many other reports from trains have proved false. 4The National Agency for Health and Food Safety reported that 11 percent of households had a bedbug problem between 2017 and 2022. Because many people might not want to say in public that they have a bedbug problem, the agency used a poll by the company Ipsos to collect the information. 5The insects are about the size of an apple seed. They neither jump nor fly. However, they have become more resistant to chemicals used to kill insects. And they can stay alive for up to a year with no food. 6The carbon dioxide humans give off makes the insects become active and try to bite, explained Jean-Michel Berenger. He is a scientist who studies insects. He raises bedbugs in his laboratory in the infectious diseases division of the Méditerranée University Hospital in the city of Marseille. 7For now, Berenger said, this much is clear: "Bedbugs have infested the media." 8Experts say it makes no difference if a home is clean or dirty. The insects simply want to bite people to get blood, explained Berenger. 9"Whether you live in a dump or a palace, it's the same thing to them," he said. 10Worry about bedbugs has increased business for insect control companies in France. They use dogs to smell the special odor that bedbugs make. Then, they use hot steam to kill the bugs. 11Kevin Le Mestre is director of Lutte Antinuisible, a company that removes unwanted insects and animals such as rats. He said that in the past, people would not call his company even if they had been bitten by a bedbug. But now he said his company is getting many calls from people worried about the insects. 12The increase in public worry began about a month ago after reports of bedbugs at a Paris movie theater. Videos began popping up on social media, showing the little insects on trains and buses. 13Some government officials want to create new rules to fight against bedbugs. 14Lawmaker Mathilde Panot recently brought a glass container of bedbugs to the Parliament to criticize the government, claiming it had let the insects spread quickly. 15Because bedbugs travel easily on clothing or in luggage, they are a cause of worry for officials ahead of the 2024 Olympic games. 16"All human population movements are profitable for bedbugs because they go with us, to hotels, in transport," said Berenger. 17Beaune, the transport minister, is hopeful that steps can be taken to reduce the public's fear. But, he added, "It's hell, these bedbugs." 18I'm Andrew Smith. 19Elaine Ganley wrote this story for the Associated Press. Andrew Smith adapted it for VOA Learning English. 20__________________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22monitor -v. to observe something for a special purpose over time 23disinfect -v. to destroy germs or unwanted plants or animals from an area 24poll -n. seeking the public's opinion on issues by asking a large number of people questions 25infested -adj. overrun by large numbers of animals or plants that are not wanted. 26dump -n. a dirty, disordered place 27palace -n. a very large and impressive house; the home of a king or queen 28luggage -n. containers used to store clothes in for travel 29hell -n. a very bad place; a place where, in many religions, evil people are sent