The French government has been attempting to quell concerns that the city is overrun with bebugs, just months before Paris will host the Olympics. With millions of athletes and tourists expected to be in the city for the event, there is not only an urgency to control the problem itself but also the perception that the city is filthy.
Bedbugs discovered by Paris Transit | SCREENSHOT: NBC Nightly News/YouTube
According to a report from the Associated Press, the city’s tourism office predicts that up to 15.9 million people could visit the Paris region during the July-September period that includes the Olympics and Paralympic Games. The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad are scheduled to open on Friday, July 26, 2024, and conclude on Sunday, August 11, 2024.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne called a meeting of ministers for Friday to look at ways to deal with the current bedbug crisis. French Transport Minister Clement Beaune met this week with transportation companies to draw up a plan for monitoring and disinfecting. They also looked at ways to control the public relations aspect of this minor crisis.
The belief on the part of French officials is that the media has blown the bedbug infestation out of proportion. With so many potential visitors (and revenue) on the way to The City of Love, that imagery could cast a shadow over The Games – looking to come back strong after limping through the COVID crisis just a few, short years ago.
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“There is no resurgence of cases,” Beaune said, telling reporters that 37 cases reported in the bus and Metro system and a dozen others on trains proved unfounded. However, he later added that it’s natural for the public to view their presence anywhere as repulsive.
“It´s hell, these bedbugs.”
It’s a doubly unfortunate situation because this year’s Olympics marks 100 years since the last time the games were held in Paris. Prior to that, the capital city served as host in 1924. They also hosted the Olympics in 1900, the same year Paris hosted The World’s Fair.
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