‘Vigilance is the key. Inspect any room when you travel and inspect your luggage first thing when you return so that you don’t bring any bed bug stowaways with you.’
– Ohio State University entomologist and bedbug expert, Dr Susan Jones.
I am now looking at public transport like buses, airports and hotel rooms with new wary eyes. This is because of rising reports of bed bug infestations in South Korea, France and the UK lately
Because of these reports, Hong Kong authorities began distributing bed bug warning leaflets to passengers at the airport. The residents feared a potential influx of bed bugs on the island after a photo of a brown, oval-shaped insect on a seat of an Airport Express train went viral.
As a precautionary measure, Hong Kong’s rail operator MTR subway system subsequently disinfected the train. The relevant authorities are also said to be proactively cleaning public transit.
The airport authority on the island is reported to be assessing bed bug preventing measures by focusing especially on airlines from high-risk areas like South Korea.
The authorities there have asked the public to stay vigilant and to check if there are bed bugs in hotel rooms or public places while travelling abroad.
Those returning to the island are also advised to check their personal luggage for bed bugs and wash clothes in hot water – 60 degrees Celsius – when necessary.
My friends, if you are travelling overseas, it is good also for you to heed these advices.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, there is a high alert nationwide at bathhouses, university dormitories and train stations.
According to a Dimsum Daily report on Goggle, bed bugs are primarily a hygiene issue rather than a health issue.
This was pointed out by the deputy chairman of the Pest Control Personnel Association of Hong Kong, Chan Wai-keung during a radio programme. He said bed bugs found in vehicle cabins were likely to have been brought into the country by passengers and that a thorough disinfection of the vehicle cabins should alleviate concerns.
Chan also advised the public to avoid wearing knitted clothing. He suggested they wear outer garments made of smooth material and use lemongrass oil as a deterrent.
Although bed bug infestation is not a health issue, it can be an annoying problem. Bed bug bites can be very itchy and may be serious for those with sensitive skin. This is because the insects have needle-like stylets that can penetrate your exposed skin until they reach the blood vessels and secrete saliva proteins that cause dermatological effect.
The skin lesions caused by the bites can resolve within 1-2 weeks but people with allergies can be badly affected; they could develop secondary infections such as impetigo, ecthyma and lymphangitis. In severe instances, a patient’s body can go into anaphylactic shock which needs immediate treatment.
Those living in infected homes can experience sleep deprivation, insomnia or sleeplessness.
Do you know that bed bugs love to hide in dark places like mattresses, under or in cracks and crevices on the walls and furniture? At night, they will appear from their hiding places and crawl onto their sleeping hosts.
They can detect the presence of a host by the host’s body odour and vibrations. After feasting on the host’s blood for about 30 minutes, they will return to their hiding places immediately.
In Malaysia currently, bed bug infestation is said to be under control. But that does not mean we should be complacent, especially in view of the rising reports of bed bug infestations in South Korea, France and the UK lately.
We should learn how to identify, manage and prevent the pests. Ways to prevent bed bug infestations include sealing cracks and crevices to minimise the hiding places of the pests or checking signs of infestation in hotel rooms, inspecting belongings while travelling and inspecting our furniture regularly.
According to a termite and pest control website on the Internet, bed bugs do not confine themselves to beds. They can migrate, hitchhike, climb and travel to couches, book bags, suitcases, blankets, behind pictures on walls, behind headboards or baseboard trim pieces, upholsteried chairs and behind electrical outlet covers.
Besides their great hiding and climbing abilities, the pests can breed fast. Because they can reproduce very quickly in just a short time, what started as a “small” infestation can reach alarming proportions.
My friends, if there are signs of bed bug infestation, you should move and seal infested items in plastic bags to treat them safely.
Use non-chemical treatment which is safer to treat the pests on your own. The non-chemical treatment includes exposing the bed bugs to high heat, placing infested items in the freezer and set to 0 degree Celsius and using hot steam cleaner to kill those in cracks and crevices.
Try to wash and heat-dry regularly your bed sheets, blankets, bedspreads and any clothing that touches the floor to reduce the number of bed bugs. Remember the bed bugs and their eggs can also hide in laundry containers/hampers So clean the containers/hampers when you do the laundry.
You can also turn to exterminators to exterminate the pests completely. And last but not least, inspect your house after treatment to make sure there are no more bedbug eggs.
Good night, sleep well, my friends.
