France has been forced to shut seven schools over growing concerns over an infestation of bedbugs, the education minister has said, The Guardian reports.
“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.
The French government has held a series of meetings this week to examine surging numbers of reported bedbug cases at a time when France is hosting the Rugby World Cup and preparing to host the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Earlier Friday, the education ministry said in a statement to Agence France-Presse that five schools with a total of 1,500 students had been closed.
Earlier this week, authorities announced two schools – one in Marseille and the other in Villefranche-sur-Saone outside Lyon in south-eastern France – had been shut down for cleaning.
“We have almost 60,000 institutions and we’re only talking about a few dozen here, but it’s true that cases are piling up,” Attal said. “An immediate response is needed, so that we can have institutions treated within 24 hours.”
He said a list of “approved and recognized” companies had been prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of health and regional health agencies “so that the heads of schools can have the contacts and have them intervene very quickly”.
A municipal library in the northern city of Amiens is due to reopen on Saturday after being closed for several days after bedbugs were detected in public reading spaces, the city’s mayor, Brigitte Foure, said.
RHM/PR