Paris battling bedbugs ahead of 2024 Olympic Games

Paris is battling bedbugs in trains, subways, movie theaters, and hospitals, causing public concern and panic as infestations soar, with the French government vowing to fight the insect, just as it did against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The French capital will host the 2024 Paris Olympic Games from July 26 to Aug. 11, which has become a major concern after it was revealed in September that one in every 10 households in the country is believed to have bedbugs.

Climate change has boosted the number of bedbugs in Paris, said government spokesperson Olivier Veran, who pledged that the administration will prioritize the fight against bedbugs, just as it did against coronavirus.

They will prioritize public health and hygiene, he told TRL radio on Tuesday, criticizing foreign media for exaggerating the issue and painting it as a major problem.

The country's opposition parties have accused the government of remaining silent despite being warned about the problem years ago.