Italy is the latest country to fall victim to the relentless invasion of bed bugs, following their conquests of Paris and London.
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| Bedbugs in Italy |
Bed bugs, which wreaked havoc in Paris and London, have arrived in Italy without much difficulty and are now causing considerable panic among locals.
These little insects are very contagious and rapidly spreading, and their bites are extremely irritating because to the resulting redness and itching. Because of how hard it is to eradicate them, avoiding an infestation is crucial.
The first reports of bed bugs on public transportation and other public places, as well as in movie theaters, hospitals, and private residences, surfaced in September 2023 in Paris.
After just a few weeks, the pestilence had crossed the border into neighboring territory: several cases have been reported in London, which is linked to the French capital by a heavily used train route. These insects didn't take as long to reach Italy as was believed they would.
Most of the complaints have to do with the city of Milan; the first of these was filed in October by two Australian visitors who rode a night train and slept on the seats of their cabin, only to awake the following day covered in very irritating bug bites.
After notifying the railroad firm they used, inquiries promptly revealed the worst-case scenario: bed bugs. The number of sightings spiked substantially within a matter of days, sending locals into a state of terror. But should we really be concerned about it?
Of course, bed bugs are a major issue; they are very tiny insects that may be difficult to see because of their propensity to hide in cracks and crevices such as those found in mattress seams, upholstery, and clothing.
They are hematophagous, meaning they feed on blood, and their bites may be irritating, but they usually go away within a few days unless the victim has an allergy to the blood. Bed bugs multiply at an alarming pace, making elimination a major challenge.
They've landed in Milan; should we be concerned? Actually, specialists note, these insects have been around for quite some time. "The phenomena has reached a peak, although a slow one, in Milan over the years. "There are no peaks," Vincenzo Celeste, who runs the sophisticated Hygiene and Public Health Structure for the Milan Metropolitan Area, told Adnkronos. We are not in the same predicament as the people of Paris, but we should not take the threat lightly.
"The information conveyed by the media on particularly intense infestations affecting certain locations can certainly help you to be alert and to check your luggage carefully when you return home"
The best approach to ensure that you do not bring back any unwanted guests in the form of bed bugs is to leave your bags in the sun for a whole day after returning from a vacation, before thoroughly washing all of the contents of the bags at high temperatures and giving the bags a thorough vacuuming. In addition, you should immediately take a very hot shower and wash the clothing you are wearing without touching anything else in the home.