Paris bedbug outbreak: Morocco steps up border monitoring to stop the spread
Moroccan authorities have announced steps to prevent the spread of a bedbug infestation which has been gripping much of France in recent weeks.
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection said on Tuesday that it would be taking "proactive" measures, including stepping up monitoring operations at Morocco's borders.
The announcement came a day after a ship arriving in Morocco from Marseille issued an alert about its suspicion that bedbugs may have been present in some of the cabins.
“A thorough inspection was conducted on all the components, cargo and public areas aboard the ship,” said the ministry, which concluded there were no bedbugs present.
In France, bedbugs have been reported in recent weeks in cinemas, trains, on the Paris metro and in the waiting area of Charles de Gaulle airport, although not all of these cases have been proven.
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On Tuesday, the French government said it would host emergency meetings to examine the surging numbers of reported bedbug cases.
Concerns have been growing, as France continues to host the Rugby World Cup, while Paris is preparing to host the 2024 Olympics.
Local authorities said that one school in Marseille and another in Villefranche-sur-Saone outside Lyon had become infected with bedbugs and were closed down for several days to be cleaned.
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