Paris has a bed bug problem. The world’s most visited city has been widely reported about recently as the media broke out with videos of the crawling bugs after Paris Fashion Week 2023. But it wasn’t an overnight infestation, and many other large cities in the United States have also been watching their bed bug numbers rise.

The issue in France has caused mass worry about the spread of bed bugs. Those in Paris and worldwide are anxious about the government’s ability to cure the infestation before the Summer Olympics in 2024. Some have even spoken out to the French authorities.

“Madame prime minister, these little insects are spreading despair in our country,” lawmaker Mathilde Panot said. “Must we wait for your office to be infested before you finally react?”

Bed bugs are an incredible pain as most people don’t know they have them until it’s too late. They live in mattresses, bed frames, wooden dressers, and can be less than two millimeters in length and look translucent unless filled with blood. The recent spread is likely due to their habit of hitch hiking on clothing and luggage.

Reports of bed bugs have increased by 65% in Paris. In the United States, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia have topped the charts. But, the little creatures aren’t everywhere, as these are some of the biggest cities in the world. Experts have found the reason for the outbreak in Paris to be because of the bed bugs’ newfound resistance to insecticides.

“That makes me more nervous about being exposed to them,” East sophomore Sammi Plas said. “If I ever got bed bugs I’d probably freak out and start cleaning all of my things.”

Traveling is not yet considered unsafe, and there are many precautions to help avoid getting caught with bed bugs. Keeping luggage away from sleeping areas, checking mattress corners, corner guards, seams and labels, and taking the time to wash clothes in hot water are all important measures to remember when taking trips.