The city recently tabled a report on bed bugs in Ottawa.Centretown is being identified as a hotspot for bedbugs, but a new city report on the issue says Ottawa residents don’t need to be overly concerned about what is being called a “nuisance” rather than an alarming health threat.
The report was prepared by Ottawa Public Health after a councillor’s inquiry. It was delivered at a recent city committee meeting on Nov. 17.
Bedbugs are small wingless and parasitic insects. They feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, and humans are their ideal host.
Bedbugs prefer the exposed skin of a sleeping person, such as the face, neck and arms. Bite responses can range from an absence of any physical signs to a serious allergic reaction.
The bugs hide in the seams and crevices of mattresses and box springs, bed frames and old furniture.
“The highest concentration of complaints related to bedbugs is in the downtown core, which would stand to reason given the higher population density and rental rates in the core,” said Roger Chapman, manager of bylaw and regulatory services at the City of Ottawa.
OPH recognizes that bedbugs are a societal nuisance and can pose a negative impact on mental health and well-being.
“They can also cause secondary infection and allergic reactions and financial hardship for some. But since the insects don’t transmit disease, bedbugs have not been declared a public health hazard,” stated OPH.
However, some local health officials think bedbugs should get more attention as a public health concern and are urging the creation of a special bylaw to better deal with the issue.
“The city needs to do more for this issue,” said Lynsey James, director of primary care at Centretown Community Health Centre.
“It takes a collaborative approach, not only just the city, but (from) other health organizations.”
James is advocating for more attention and more resources to be paid to vulnerable clients.
These groups include children, seniors and low-income families.
Manitoba has a provincial policy to combat bed bugs. There are guidelines, processes and dedicated services and funding to deal with the issue. Manitoba takes a more urgent approach to dealing with bed bugs in its cities, compared to Ottawa’s low-key approach to the issue, according to observers.
“It is what I think we need to do here,” said Janice McFarlane, director of mental health and housing services at Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre. “We should come together and have a comprehensive plan and try to get some provincial support for bed bugs.”
James added that due to globalization and international travel, bed bugs can be found anywhere. They could come from a neighbour’s room, luggage or furniture.
“We have seen people throw out everything they own, because they want to get rid of the bed bugs,” said Joanna Binch, a nurse practitioner for rooming house outreach at Somerset West Community Health Centre.
At the Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre, staff said they see many people come in distressed because they have no choice but to live in an infested environment, said McFarlane.
It is especially challenging for vulnerable clients to deal with bed bugs, according to James.
“If they don’t have financial means or they have severe mental health issues, they are not able to coordinate services for themselves and advocate for themselves,” said James. “Or they are afraid of losing their housing if they raise this issue to their landlord.”
Binch said health centres are scrambling to provide necessary resources such as new mattresses to people who have been affected.
Her community’s supply of 150 clean mattress covers are almost all gone in under a year.
“There are only 10 left,” she said.
She also said that health centre staff must be careful to provide proper service at clients’ homes without putting themselves at risk.
In the meantime, health care officials advise that residents at risk of bedbug infestations should set up their beds “like an island,” by moving mattresses away from the walls and not letting bedding touch the floor.