An inspection of a lodging facility in Seoul on Nov 9 amid a rise in reports of bedbug infestations in South Korea. - PHOTO: EPA-EFE via The Straits Times/ANN
SEOUL: From subway trains to buses, Seoul is on a mission to disinfect its public transport to prevent a spread of bedbugs, as fears grow over a rise in reports of infestations in South Korea.
The city government has requested Seoul Metro, the operator of the capital’s subway trains, to thoroughly disinfect train carriages with products certified by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, reported The Korea Herald on Friday.
Staff of all subway lines are required to inspect the seats in carriages before the trains leave and enter the depot.
The subway operator will disinfect the carriages 30 times a year, up from the current nine times, reported the Korea JoongAng Daily earlier this week, citing the Seoul government.
Bedbugs do not transmit infectious diseases. However, they feed on human blood at night while people are sleeping, and this can lead to secondary skin infections.
Bus companies have also been advised by the city government to conduct additional disinfections of buses, including airport limousine buses.
Taxis, including those for overseas tourists, will be disinfected more than twice daily, said the city government.
The efforts are part of the city government’s comprehensive scheme to make Seoul a “zero-bedbug city”.
The Korea Times reported on Wednesday that nearly 20 reports of suspected bedbug sightings have been lodged so far in Seoul, raising concerns of a possible infestation in the city of 9.4 million people.
Nationwide, there has been a rise in bedbug sightings in recent months. The reddish-brown, wingless parasites have been seen in lodging facilities, bathhouses and other places that the country has deemed “vulnerable” to the bugs, such as dormitories and on public transport.
About 30 cases of suspected infestations have been reported, including at a traditional Korean spa called jjimjilbang in Incheon, west of Seoul, and a college dorm in the south-eastern city of Daegu.
Earlier this week, South Korea launched a four-week campaign with inspections of public facilities and pest control measures.
In Seoul, some subway passengers are getting jittery about their rides.
From Oct 24 to Tuesday, eight reports were made by passengers who claimed that they had seen bedbugs in the trains.
But none of the reports was confirmed to be of bedbugs, reported The Korea Herald.
It quoted Seoul Metro chief executive Baek Ho as saying on Thursday that 58 per cent of train seats are made of fabric, but they have cold steel underneath, making it impossible for the seats to have bedbugs.
“However, we will gradually replace them all with polycarbonate or stainless steel chairs to lessen our passengers’ concerns.”
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said on Thursday that he had ordered the preventive measures to be taken before the bedbug sightings were reported in South Korea, after he learnt about the recent outbreak in Paris.
There have been reports of infestations in France on trains and cinemas in recent months. Britain has also seen a jump in inquiries about the pests.
“It is important to take fundamental measures to counter the bedbugs rather than take intensive one-time measures,” said Mr Oh in a report by The Korea Herald on Friday. “We will actively reflect the experts’ opinions in our preventive measures and do our best to counter the bedbugs and relieve the people’s anxiety.” - The Straits Times/ANN
