Reports indicate that Southeastern trains operating from the West Marina train depot near Hastings in East Sussex have been taken out of service in October due to bedbugs. This follows a bedbug outbreak that led to the cancellation of a Qantas flight from Italy to Australia, which required a "deep clean" of the aircraft.
A bedbug monitoring company has stated that cases of bedbugs are increasing by approximately 20 per cent annually in London and other major European cities. Valpas, a company that produces bedbug traps and monitors, observed bedbugs in one out of every 42 hotel rooms it monitored, The Times reported.
Dr. Cassie Krejci, vice president of transformation at pest management company Forshaw, noted that bedbugs are a concern for all travellers, regardless of destination. She advised that visitors should be concerned about bringing bedbugs home from any trip, particularly those to cities experiencing a notable rise in reported infestations.
Travellers can check for bedbugs in hotel rooms by turning off the lights and using a phone's torch to inspect mattresses, furniture, and appliances for rust-coloured dots, exoskeletons, tiny blackish specks, or small yellow eggs. A musty odour, sometimes compared to expired raspberries or coriander, can also indicate a large group of bedbugs. If bedbugs are found, guests should notify hotel staff immediately and keep luggage away from beds and walls, preferably in the bathroom on a clean countertop.