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Bedbugs Are Back
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 1, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 1, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
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Forget the cicadas, New York: Bedbugs are apparently back to suck your blood. The Daily News freaked the bejesus out of Gothamist by saying how cases of bedbug infestation in city apartments (from rundown ones to luxury apartments, which means that bedbugs are blind to socioeconomic status) have risen dramatically, with exterminators seeing anywhere from ten times to a hundred times more cases recently. Bedbugs are no longer a sign of less-than-stellar cleaning skills, especially since many seem to be coming from Europe and the Middle East, by accompanying travelers on the way back home. Thanks, globalization!
The only evidence of bedbugs are the "telltale red, itchy welts on your skin in the morning." Ewww. The city's Health Department doesn't think it's a major issue (yet) since the bed bugs don't transit diseases, but local politicians think the Health Department should be doing more. In its tips for what people can do to avoid bedbugs, the Daily News suggests that people be careful when buying used furniture or mattresses and notes that exterminators should cost between $250-475 (and that they should not "bomb" an apartment), plus points the way to the Pesticide Management Education program at Cornell. And the Department of Health does have information and suggestions on how to handle bed bugs.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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