Bed Bug Control: Where We Stand in the US

Ongoing news reports confirm that bed bugs continue to be a problem throughout the United States despite efforts at bed bug control. Indeed, recent news from around the country illustrates the toll bed bugs are taking both in residential and commercial structures and exemplifies that no location is immune to bed bugs.

Recent Bed Bug Control News

• Listed by Terminex as the sixth city on the list of bed bug problems in the U.S., a Denver news outlet recently reported bed bugs found in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the Denver Health Medical Center thanks to a patient that had a bed bug on them upon arrival. The staff immediately implemented a procedure to mitigate the problem, including discarding the mattress and re-inspecting the patient room and surrounding areas.
• In New York, bed bugs are not only taking over hotels and apartment buildings, but they are showing up in schools. Recently, a high school in Staten Island reported bed bugs. They are using exterminators and regularly inspecting the area as well as keeping parents informed on what to look for in order to keep bed bug control so as to not spread the problem to homes and nearby businesses. 
• Other places where bed bugs are showing up include homeless shelters like one in Dubuque, Iowa. The transients and homeless people who frequent Rescue Missions and shelters may have been sleeping on discarded mattresses that someone else threw away due to bed bugs or they may have found discarded clothing to wear as well, which simply transfers the bed bugs further afield. 
• As the media coverage increases, much of the stories relate to cities taking greater action on trying to get the infestations under control. Case in point is the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico. Here the Safe City Strike Force is going after questionable apartment complexes to address bed bug problems as well as other health issues. There are more places where proactive responses are being reported, which is hope that eventually the news will report decreases in bed bug problems. 

Bed bugs are also even showing up in libraries, restaurants, movie theatres and other businesses. Whether they were already there and it has taken media attention to uncover them, or the problem is simply spreading, experts are not sure. However, while some assert that the media coverage is creating widespread panic, others believe it is an excellent way to create awareness so more people are looking, inspecting, and thinking about what they are doing so as to hopefully slow and eventually stop the bed bug epidemic in its tracks. 

In Review
In reviewing the recent coverage on bed bugs in the US, here are the main points:

• Bed bugs are being covered in the news more widely perhaps due to their spread but also to help educate more people about what they can do to stop the problem.
• A recent news search revealed stories from around the country about bed bugs, including those in the regular places like hotels and apartments. 
• However, bed bugs are also being reported in schools, hospitals, homeless shelters and even libraries. 
• There does not appear to be any real in-roads yet to controlling bed bugs.

About The Author

Jeremy Ecker has worked in the pest control industry for the past 17 years. The last 8 years was spent as a Vice President of one of the most well respected regional Pest Control Companies in New York. He is part of a NESDCA Certified Dog Team