Itching to go: Hongkongers undeterred by South Korea bedbug outbreak press on with trips armed with disinfectant, lights and insecticide
- Travellers heading to South Korea from Hong Kong’s airport detail strategies for dealing with bedbug outbreak, with many shaking off worries about pest infestations
- Hong Kong authorities say they will step up education efforts about controlling bedbugs, following concerns about travellers bringing them back to city
Hongkongers heading to South Korea have geared up with disinfectant, lights and insecticide to fight bedbugs, pressing on with their trips despite an outbreak of the pests in the country.
Queuing to check in at Hong Kong International Airport at around 10am on Thursday, 30-year-old Sabrina Leung said she was about to fly to Seoul with her husband and her grandmother, adding she would be extra vigilant during her trip.
“I brought some disinfectant spray, just for my own peace of mind, I don’t know whether it works,” she said. “I also brought several plastic bags as well, where I can pack my clothes after I go outside, so I can reduce the amount of time they will be exposed to the air.”
The call centre worker said she was at first concerned about the outbreak and even considered rescheduling the trip or travelling elsewhere.
“The moment I found out, I was thinking why it only happened when I was going,” she said. “But thinking about it deeper, bedbugs are an issue everywhere, so there is no need to be afraid.”
Concerns over the possibility of an outbreak in Hong Kong have heightened after South Korea, a popular holiday destination for many in the city, said there had been at least 33 reports of bedbug infestations across the country between the middle of last month and Sunday.
The figures were a sharp jump from only nine cases recorded by the country’s disease control agency in the past 10 years.
There have been 17 suspected bedbug reports filed from seven of Seoul’s 25 districts.
