17% Increase in Bedbug Reports in New York
As bedbugs spread worldwide, a recent surge has been reported in New York, USA.
On the 11th (local time), the New York Post reported that the number of bedbug sightings in New York reached 2,667 cases by the end of October this year, marking a 17% increase compared to the same period last year.
In particular, Brooklyn reported 928 bedbug cases, a 21% increase from the previous year, making it the most severe among the five boroughs of New York City.
On the 7th, a promotional poster related to bedbugs was put up in Yeongdeungpo jjokbangchon, Seoul. Photo by Yongjun Cho jun21@
As bedbug reports increase in New York, some claim this is related to the rise in asylum seekers entering through the southern border. A representative from a New York pest control company said, "A large number of asylum seekers from Central and South America are flocking to New York."
There are also opinions pointing to the New York Fashion Week event held at the end of September as a cause of the bedbug spread. It is suggested that fashion industry personnel from France, where bedbug problems are severe, traveled to New York for business trips, potentially bringing bedbugs with them.
However, New York City maintains that the situation is not yet a cause for concern. The city stated, "We are closely monitoring the bedbug spread situation abroad," and "At present, there is no reason for New Yorkers to worry."
Bedbug Fear Spreads Nationwide in Korea... Report Immediately to 110
Amid growing concerns about the nationwide spread of bedbugs, on the morning of the 9th, officials from the Yongsan-gu Public Health Center are conducting pest control operations to exterminate bedbugs in the Dongja-dong goshiwon area of Yongsan-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Bedbugs are also spreading nationwide in Korea. Since live adult bedbugs and larvae were found at a jjimjilbang in Seo-gu, Incheon on the 13th of last month, related suspicious reports have been continuously filed across the country, including Seoul. Notably, bedbugs were confirmed in a one-room apartment in Asan, Chungnam on the 8th.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of the 6th, 32 bedbug reports have been received nationwide, of which 13 were confirmed to be actual bedbugs.
In Korea, bedbugs virtually disappeared in the 1960s and 1970s due to the use of the insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). However, as bedbugs spread in countries like France, related reports have continued domestically.
Bedbugs are mainly active at night and hide in furniture or wallpaper crevices during the day. Unlike mosquitoes or ticks, bedbugs do not transmit infectious diseases. However, their bites can cause skin inflammation, itching, and sleep deprivation. Some people may experience severe allergic reactions.
To quickly identify bedbug infestation, the first step is to check for bite marks on the body while sleeping.
Since bite marks can take up to 14 days to appear, it is also important to check for shed exoskeletons, red blood stains, or dark fecal spots left by bedbugs after molting.
Regularly inspect folded parts of mattresses and sheets, and if bedbug presence is suspected, report it to the national call center '110' or the local public health center.
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