South Korea has become the latest country to declare war on bedbugs following a wave of outbreaks, with bathhouses, university dorms, and train stations across the country on high alert.

继臭虫接连在多个国家肆虐后，近日韩国成为又一个对臭虫宣战的国家，韩国各地的澡堂、大学宿舍和火车站都对臭虫高度戒备，严阵以待。

Thirty suspected or confirmed infestations have been reported since the end of October, prompting the government to announce a four-week campaign aimed at eradicating the bloodsucking pests.

截至10月底，已有30例疑似或被确认的臭虫感染事件上报，这促使韩国政府宣布了一个为期四周的除虫计划。

Previously, the country had been practically free of bedbugs following past extermination campaigns, with just nine infestations being reported to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention (KDCA) since 2014.

先前，经过多轮灭虫运动，韩国已经基本上见不到臭虫的踪影，自2014年以来，韩国疾病控制与预防中心只收到过9例臭虫感染报告。

The sudden resurgence of the pests, which follows reports of similar outbreaks in France and the United Kingdom and an increase in cases in the United States, is spreading alarm among members of the public, with social media awash with pictures and accounts of people’s encounters with the insects.

继法国、英国臭虫泛滥，美国臭虫数量也与日俱增后，臭虫在韩国的突然泛滥让公众感到恐慌，社交媒体上到处是人们遇到臭虫的图片和描述。

Pest control firms have reported being inundated with requests for help while some websites have created dedicated sections to the problem, offering users a place to share tips on how to deal with the pests, with suggestions ranging from avoiding the cinema to standing on public transport.

除虫公司报告称收到了铺天盖地的除虫请求，一些网站则专门为臭虫问题开设了一个版块，让用户可以在这里分享关于如何应对臭虫的建议，比如不去电影院或在公共交通工具上站着。

Some of the comments reflect both the fear and confusion of a public that has largely not needed to deal with the pests for many years.

有些评论反映出韩国民众的恐慌和困惑，大部分民众已经许多年都无需面对臭虫困扰。

"Should I throw away all electronics if I spot a bedbug,” asked a user on one website, while another wondered: “If I put double-sided tape around my mattress, would that stop the bugs getting on me?”

一名用户在一个网站上问：“如果我看见一只臭虫，我是不是应该把所有电子产品都扔掉？”另一位用户则想知道：“如果我在床垫周围缠上双面胶带，臭虫是不是就咬不到我了？”

Another said simply: “I’d rather have the Covid than bedbugs.”

还有一个人干脆说：“我宁愿得新冠肺炎也不要被臭虫咬。”

In the capital of Seoul, the city government is launching a new “Bedbug Reporting and Management System” and a “Zero Bedbugs City, Seoul” initiative, under which it says it will inspect 3,175 lodging facilities, bathhouses, and jjimjilbangs (Korean saunas with rooms of varying temperatures).

在韩国首都首尔市，市政府发布了新的“臭虫报告与管理系统”和“零臭虫城市计划”，这一计划将会检查3175家住宿设施、澡堂和桑拿房。

The city has said it will also provide pest control support for small housing units known as jjokbang or gosiwon, which typically measure around 3-6 square meters (30-60 square feet) and house some of Seoul’s poorest residents.

首尔市政府表示，将会为考试院等小型住房提供除虫支援，这种房子通常只有3到6平方米，是首尔最穷的一些人居住的地方。

Other areas deemed high-risk include subways and cinemas. The government says its campaign will include periodic steam-cleaning of subway seats.

其他高风险地区还包括地铁和电影院。政府表示，除虫活动将包括对地铁座椅进行定期蒸汽清洁。

"Bedbugs are developing resistance to the insecticides that we commonly use, so the most effective solution these days is heating. It turns out that a temperature of about 45 degrees Celsius can kill the bugs and the eggs,” said Lee Si-hyeock, professor of Agricultural Biotechnology at Seoul National University.

国立首尔大学农业生物技术系教授李思赫表示：“臭虫对我们常用的杀虫剂已经产生了抗药性，因此现在最有效的方法就是高温杀虫。实践证明，45摄氏度左右的温度可以杀死臭虫和虫卵。”

He said using a dryer or an iron could be an effective method for eliminating bedbugs and their eggs from fabric.

李教授指出，用烘干机或熨斗可以有效地杀灭布料上的臭虫和虫卵。

In its “Bedbug Prevention and Response Guidelines,” the Seoul City Government advises people against bringing items with a risk of infestation into their homes. It says high risk items include used furniture and old books.

首尔市政府在其《臭虫防治和应对指南》中建议人们不要把有臭虫感染风险的物品带回家。这种高风险物品包括用过的家具和旧书。

"Repairing damaged areas such as cracks and wallpaper can minimize potential bedbug habitats,” it adds.

指南中还提到：“修补破损的地方，比如裂缝和墙纸，可以尽可能消除臭虫的潜在栖息地。”