“Nobody’s Safe” VIDEO. Paris, invaded by bedbugs / People also filmed them in buses and cinemas

​The French government has promised action to “reassure and protect” the public as its capital, Paris, reports a “widespread” increase in bed bugs. France’s growing bed bug crisis has sparked a political row, with the transport minister summoning train and bus operators to prevent the insects from breeding after travelers filmed them on transport, reports CNN and The Guardian.

French Transport Minister Clement Beaune said on Friday he would “bring transport operators together next week” to “take additional measures” to “ensure and protect” the public from the increase in bed bugs.

The announcement comes as officials and unions in Paris appealed to the government for help after several videos surfaced on social media showing bedbugs on public transport and other areas such as cinemas.

A wave of panic and disgust spread across the country after several travelers posted photos and videos purportedly showing the insects on Paris’ local transport system, high-speed trains and at Charles de Gaulle airport.

Some passengers have said they will no longer sit down on Paris metros because they are afraid to sit on the seats.

Speaking on French TV station LCI on Friday, Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said the phenomenon was “widespread”.

People bring bed bugs from vacation in their suitcases

“You have to understand that in reality no one is safe, obviously there are risk factors, but in reality, you can pick up bed bugs anywhere and bring them home,” he said.

Three years ago, the French government launched an anti-bedbug campaign, including a dedicated website and hotline, as the insects’ numbers increased.

But Gregoire said that despite this plan, “there are 3.6 million people who come to Paris every day, and the bed bugs don’t stop at the outskirts of the city.”

An expert from France’s national health body, Anses, said the problem was “an emerging phenomenon in France and almost everywhere in the world”.

“It’s mainly due to the movement of people traveling, people staying in short-term accommodation and bringing back bed bugs in suitcases or luggage,” Johanna Fite of Anses’ risk assessment department told CNN.

Bed bugs have become resistant to the insecticide

She added that there has been an “escalation” of the problem as bed bugs are becoming more resistant to insecticides.

“We’re seeing more and more bed bug populations that are resistant, so there’s no miracle cure to get rid of them,” Fite said.

However, the deputy mayor of Paris warned against “hysteria” over the issue, noting that there had been an “increase in the number of Parisians calling city hall information services for information about bed bugs”.

“Professional companies that intervene in residential areas tell us that currently the proportion of bed bug interventions is atypical of normal and is increasing rapidly,” he said.

The news comes as Paris prepares to host the 2024 Olympics, but officials say they are not worried.

“There is no threat to the Olympics,” Gregoire said.

“Bedbugs have existed before and will exist after,” he added, saying the games were an “opportunity” for everyone to work together on the problem.