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New York to spend big bucks to kill blood-sucking guests
City to spend $500,000 raising awareness in a bid to kill off the mites after bed bug complaints grew by 40 percent in the past three years.
Wed, Jul 28 2010 at 4:34 PM
DON’T LET THE BED BUGS BITE: New York has been hard hit by bed bugs in part because of the high-density living and the millions of tourists who visit the city each year. (Photo: University of Florida/AP)
NEW YORK - In the city that never sleeps there is one increasingly busy nocturnal resident who New York wants to evict — the bed bug.
The city announced plans on Wednesday to spend $500,000 raising awareness of the tiny blood-sucking mites in a bid to kill them off after bed bug complaints grew by 40 percent in the past three years.
"Everyone wants to come to New York, including bed bugs," said New York City Councilwoman Christine Quinn. "But we have a message for them ... drop dead."
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has battled an outbreak at his Harlem office, along with lingerie outlet Victoria's Secret, teen clothing store Hollister and countless hotels that have lost thousands of dollars in revenue fighting the bed bug.
New York has been hard hit by bed bugs — insects that like to nestle in furniture and suck the blood of humans and animals — in part because of the high-density living and the millions of tourists who visit the city each year, Quinn said.
Last year more than 33,000 people called the city's bed bug complaint line to ask for help in dealing with the mites.
Bed bugs don't carry disease, but they can be difficult and expensive to get rid of and cause "emotional, psychological and economic anguish," said Councilwoman Gale Brewer.
(Reporting by Karina Ioffee, editing by Michelle Nichols and Sandra Maler)
Copyright 2010 Reuters US Online Report Domestic News
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