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A Story of a Woman being Attacked in a Hotel Via ONE News
Experts are warning travellers to be vigilant when checking into accommodation, after a Christchurch woman was attacked by bed bugs at an Auckland motel.
Debbie Roome had travelled to Auckland for a friend's graduation, and was staying in a motel near the airport.
She awoke in the middle of the night to discover the bed bug infestation and hundreds of painful bites all over her body.
"I put my cell phone light on, had a look in the bed and saw these little bugs just scurrying for cover under the pillows and the blankets and I realised it was bed bugs," she told ONE News.
Ms Roome said she saw about 20 bugs disappear under the covers, and counted around 300 bites on her body.
"They seemed to develop through the course of the day," she said.
"They started off as little light bumps but by the time I was supposed to fly home I had these great big massive welts on my face all down my neck, both arms, on my back and my front and I was feeling quite sick with it."
The motel has refunded the cost of her room, but Ms Roome also wants compensation for her medical costs.
The motel's manager could not be reached for comment.
While Ms Roome's case is extreme, experts aren't surprised by the infestation, saying bed bugs are flourishing and becoming harder to eradicate.
"They were possibly controlled well by DDT, which just about kills any insect," said Canterbury Museum entomologist Cor Vink.
"They were possibly controlled well by DDT, which just about kills any insect," said Canterbury Museum entomologist Cor Vink.
But since its ban, bed bugs have been harder to control, he said.
"Other insecticides haven't worked as well, they may have developed resistance to the insecticides we use."
And it's not just cheap backpackers that have problems with bed bugs.
"Some high class motels have had problems with them, and often the case is that they have to destroy all of the bedding and rip up the carpets to try to control them properly.
"They're very difficult to get rid of."
He added that an increase in travel contributes to the problem.
"They travel with people, they travel in luggage."
Mr Vink advised travellers to look for signs of bed bugs in the bed and mattress on check in, and to keep luggage elevated in luggage racks.
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