France Shuts down Seven Schools over Bedbug Infestations; 'cases Piling Up'

 
INA-sources
 
France's education minister on October 6, Friday said that he had ordered at least seven schools to shut down immediately over growing concerns over a bedbug infestation. “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,” Gabriel Attal told France 5 television in an interview. Initially, the French education minister had said that five schools with a total of 1,500 students were closed, but this figure increased as more and more schools were closed over fears of bedbug spread.
 
As Paris prepares to host the Rugby World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympics, the bedbug infestation has turned into a major crisis for France. The French government has held a series of meetings to discuss ways to contain the spread and stop the infestation countrywide.
 
Several approved companies have collaborated with French Ministry of health and regional health agencies 'so that the heads of schools can have the contacts and have them intervene very quickly,' Attal said.  Earlier this week, the French government shut down two schools for cleaning including one in Marseille and the other in Villefranche-sur-Saone outside Lyon in south-eastern France.
 
Bedbugs 'everywhere' in France
For weeks, the French government has been scrambling to control the spreading bug infestation as it prepares to host the Olympic Games in just over nine months. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne held an emergency meeting with the top ministers to tackle the bedbug crisis as she was briefed about the situation. Borne was informed that the bedbugs were 'everywhere' in France and that the tiny insects were infusing despair within the country. "Do we need to wait for Matignon French PM's office] to become infested before you act," France's Leftist lawmaker Mathilde Panot informed the Prime Minister, adding that she took a vial that would contain the problem of bug infestation in the parliament.
 
Source: Republic World.Com