Various stakeholders have expressed alarm over the spread of bed bugs (tsikidzi/intwala), which are terrorising Harare residents amid fears that the blood-sucking pests will continue to spread across the city if the local authority does not implement measures to eradicate them.
The dilapidated Mbare flats have been identified as the epicentre of the outbreak, but the bed bugs have since spread to other high-density suburbs such as Mabvuku, Kuwadzana, and Budiriro.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume attributed the spread of bed bugs to the second-hand clothes trade, suggesting that the clothes may have become infested with the pests while in the market.
Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association Secretary-General Wisbon Malaya urged the Harare City Council to provide chemicals for fumigation. Said Malaya:
We urge the City of Harare Health Department to consider engaging in serious bed bug control through training on manufacturing homemade bed bug fumigation chemicals so that many people can fumigate their homes.
We encourage informal traders not to trade in products that carry these bugs in the meantime as a way of managing the situation.
We encourage public transport operators to fumigate their vehicles daily until the bug war is over.
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) director Reuben Akili said:
The first thing, which we just want to take note of, is that two years ago, CHRA went to court because of the squalid living conditions of Mbare residents.
We have always said even in our statement that the City of Harare needs to consider this issue as a pertinent matter and not just to be reactive, but to be proactive and ensuring that they commence the process of, you know, adhering to the court order and also even starting to offer the necessary services to the 59 blocks of flats in Mbare.
Bed bugs are expert hitchhikers, easily clinging to luggage, clothing, or personal items when people travel.
Hotels, motels, and public transport are common places where these pests can move from one location to another.
After returning home, bed bugs can spread throughout the house if they’ve been brought in via bags or clothes.
Another common way bed bugs are introduced is through second-hand furniture, particularly items like mattresses, bed frames, or couches. If these pieces are infested, they can quickly bring the pests into your home.
In apartment complexes or buildings with shared walls, bed bugs can spread through tiny cracks in walls, floors, or ceilings. They can travel from one unit to another via small gaps, vents, or even plumbing systems.
Even brief visits from friends or family can contribute to the spread, as bed bugs may hitch a ride on their clothing or belongings without them realising.
Once bed bugs are introduced into a new location, they reproduce rapidly, and the infestation can quickly spread throughout the home.
More: NewsDay