A second article in the same media outlet tells Israelis what to do if they suspect they have bed bugs:

If the bite is found to be that of a bedbug, a report should be filed with the ministry of health or environmental protection. The Health Ministry confirmed a significant, recent rise in bedbug reports.

Do you hear that, Israel? If you get bed bugs, call the Ministry of Health!

Haaretz also notes that bed bugs were mostly unheard of in Israel between the 1950s and about ten years ago:

“Until now we hardly saw bedbugs in Israel, perhaps only in prison cells. But recently we have had some incidents. Though not many, they were in places where we have not seen bedbugs before such as in private homes,” says Dr. Laor Orshan of the ministry’s entomological laboratory.

Sounds familiar.

• Bed bugs infest New Rochelle cell block and three police cars
• 2 workers claim they were punished for asking about bed bugs at work
• Blip.tv: Bed Bugs are not dust mites, or cute little kiddies
• Bed bugs at Hawai’i’s Halawa Correctional Facility

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But then bugs turned up in three radio cars from different tours, including a car used for a daytime tour of duty yesterday. The car was taken out of commission for 24 hours so it could be fumigated, he said.

Last week an officer on the midnight tour complained of being bitten, he said.

As a precaution the men’s locker rooms were also fumigated on Friday. That was because a bug could drop off a uniform and get onto clothing when an officer is changing and be carried home, Kealy said.

The original bed bugs must have come in on a prisoner, he said. While the county jail said they did not have “a massive infestation,” it only takes one person to carry in the bugs and create a problem, Kealy said.

While it’s true that bed bugs spread easily and could easily be brought in by someone else, I think it ought to be said that not just prisoners, but anyone who enters the area could have brought bed bugs into the cell blocks. They could even travel over from another location, though it does not sound like other parts of the station were infested.

Officers and other staff should have their homes inspected too. Anyone who works there could have brought bed bugs in, or brought them home with them from work.

And officers and other staff should be aware that they might not react to bed bug bites — other areas and more cars may need treatment, and — unless “fumigation” refers to vikane gas fumigation — treatments generally need to be repeated before bed bugs are sent packing.

• Bed bugs at Hawai’i’s Halawa Correctional Facility
• 2 workers claim they were punished for asking about bed bugs at work
• The UFT (NYC teachers’ union): how do we get the city to be proactive about bed bugs?
• those “wee flat bronze coloured things with a black spot” that come out at night

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“All we wanted was someone to tell whether the holding cells in the Central Judicial Processing Court are infested with bed bugs,” said Meyers, a Hudson County Maintenance Department employee. “But instead of giving me an answer, my supervisor screamed ‘I hate you! I hate you!’ and refused to tell us anything about the situation.”

The cells were indeed treated for bed bugs back in December (prior to this conversation of 12/28), so perhaps it is a sensitive area for the management?

The women claim they were split up and given more work after asking about bed bugs.

• Bed bugs infest New Rochelle cell block and three police cars
• Warning to Bracken County, KY: don’t get caught in the bed bug blame game
• Tampa Bay mental health facility closed for bed bug treatment
• Disney guests paid off to keep quiet about bed bugs

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