A new article from Xpress details the war on bed bugs in Dubai. It’s good to hear that bed bugs are being discussed openly and that Dubai Municipality is concerned about the problem and taking steps to fight it.
Blood-sucking bedbugs found in congested neighbourhoods and labour camps have jumped the social barrier by moving to upmarket localities and five star hotels, Dubai Municipality and private pest control experts have said.
Bedbugs and cockroaches account for a number of complaints and pest control agencies have noticed rising infestations of these pests in localities such as Karama, Deira and Bur Dubai as well as the posh communities of Jumeirah and Al Barsha.
Pest control officials said that they are fighting a hydra-headed enemy as infestation is spreading fast. This has prompted Dubai Municipality to plan testing the resistance of bugs to available pesticides. “I’ve seen bedbugs even in a mosque,” said Motahar Hussain, Head of Technical Services at the Pest Control Section, Dubai Municipality.
Dubai Municipality also invites residents to call them:
The increase in service calls for pest control is due to population growth and better public awareness, said Hesham Al Yahya, Head of Dubai Municipality’s Public Health Pest Control Section. “We encourage the public to call the Dubai Municipality hotline about any pest-related events they encounter.”
And Dubai Municipality has been noting an increase in such calls:
Dubai Municipality figures show pest infestation has risen steadily alongside a spike in population. Complaints about bedbugs received by the municipality grew by 34 per cent from 112 in the month of April 2006 to 150 in April this year, the latest comparative data available (it increased more than seven-fold from the figures recorded in April 1992).
Although no industry data exists on the extent of overall pest infestation in Dubai, Dubai Municipality figures show that the total number of monthly complaints increased significantly. For example, pest-related complaints nearly tripled from 1,664 in the month of April in 1992 to 4,676 complaints in April this year. During this period, Dubai’s population roughly doubled to about 1.4 million.
But municipality figures are just the tip of the iceberg.
Aren’t they always?
The article goes on to detail the experiences of a number of local pest control firms who provide service to residences and labor camps (where fighting the pests is especially difficult).
Read the rest here: Xpress: News | Pests on the prowl: Battle of the bugs.
Similar Posts:
- None Found
