Bed bugs found at VA Medical Center – Martinsburg Journal

MARTINSBURG The Martinsburg VA Hospital has temporarily shut down a section of the hospital to eliminate an outbreak of bed bugs found there, hospital officials said on Tuesday.

An outbreak on section B of the second floor of the hospital was first reported two weeks ago, said Dr. Mark Mann, chief of medical health services at the VA Medical Center.

Mann, who oversees the mental health section of the center, said the floor had experienced an infestation of bed bugs and the hospital is remediating the problem.

Hospital patients from that section have been relocated to a different residents area, Mann said.

No other patients in the hospital have reported bed bugs since then, Mann said.

A section of wall on part of one floor had been opened to determine whether the bugs were present in the walls.

We found no bugs, Mann said.

The cleanup treatment for bed bugs include cleaning the area, using powder, C02 traps and super heating areas of a room and any objects in it, Mann said.

Mann said the hospital expects to be able to return patients back to the section within a short time.

Were several days away from being able to move, Mann said. Were doing it carefully to make sure that it is completely clear and safe.

While not considered a health threat because bed bugs do not carry any diseases, they can cause skin irritation if they get under a persons skin, said Jennifer Hudson, sanitarian supervisor a the Berkeley County Department of Health.

Hudson said the department has received several complaint calls recently about bed bug infestation in a public housing complex.

Bed bug breakouts typically happen during warm weather periods, Hudson said.

Bed bugs prefer warm houses and typically found near or inside beds and bedding or other sleep areas. While they typically breed within the confines of the bedroom, they can also be found in other parts of the home such as living rooms and closets.

Hudson said bed bugs are considered hitchers who are transported by attaching themselves onto a person or object.

Bed bugs were nearly eradicated in the developed world in the 1940s. Outbreaks have increased since 1995, due to pesticide resistance, bans on effective pesticides and international travel.

Staff writer Jim McConville can be reached at 304-263-8931, ext. 215, or on Twitter @jmcconvilleJN.

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Bed bugs found at VA Medical Center - Martinsburg Journal