South Korean authorities have taken preventive measures to keep bedbugs out of the country by deploying a sniffer dog at Incheon International Airport. This action coincides with the return of athletes, officials, and fans from the Paris Olympics.
The dog, a beagle named Ceco, is now on duty at the airport, specifically screening passengers arriving from Paris, France. According to the pest control company Cesco, Ceco is the only dog in South Korea trained to detect the pheromones released by bedbugs.
Cesco claims that Ceco can thoroughly inspect a standard hotel room in just two minutes. This initiative is a collaboration between Cesco, South Korea’s ministries of transport and security, and the disease control and prevention agency.
This move follows reports from late last year that Paris was dealing with a widespread bedbug infestation. The pests were found in hotels, vacation apartments, movie theaters, and even on seats in the national high-speed trains and the Paris Metro.
Emmanuel Grégoire, Deputy Mayor of Paris, called for the French government to declare bedbugs a public health issue and implement a national action plan to combat the problem.
In a press release, the South Korean government stated, “We are taking a preemptive response to intercept the entry [of bedbugs] through Incheon International Airport, which is the main gateway to the country.”
Additionally, flights arriving directly from Paris are now being disinfected weekly, compared to the usual monthly schedule. Airport quarantine services have also been activated as a precautionary measure.
South Korea sent 144 athletes to the Paris Olympics, which concluded on Sunday, August 11.
