Halifax hospital says bed bug problem resolved

A problem with bed bugs at a Halifax hospital proved to be short-lived.

John Gillis, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Health Authority, confirms bed bugs were spotted in the dialysis unit at Halifax’s Victoria General Hospital last weekend, but the issue has now been dealt with.

“There are no longer any bed bugs,” says Gillis.

Gillis says the infestation wasn’t throughout the entire unit: it was concentrated in one specific area, isolated from the rest of the unit.

“In this case, it was in isolation room so only one person would ever be there so it was easy to seal it off and not use it,” he says.

Dave Holland, a pest control specialist, wouldn’t discuss issues at the hospital, but says it’s unlikely anyone would pick up bed bugs from visiting an area where the pests may be.

“Just trying to go into a place and think you’re going to pick up a bed bug on your person, it doesn’t happen,” says Holland. “It’s the personal belongings. The purse, the briefcase, the luggage. That’s how [bed bugs] travel around.”

He and another expert, John Zinck, say that bed bugs wait until you sleep until they bite.

“They don’t transmit disease that they’ve proven yet,” says Zinck. “Which is a great thing.”

But Holland says they can be a nuisance

“Bed bugs can be extremely difficult to get rid of,” he says. “They’re masters of hiding.”

Zinck says detecting them early is key.

“If it’s something that was just brought in and you’re on site fairly quickly, you can just vacuum them up,” says Zinck. “Treat them and that’s the end of it.”

Gillis says that was the case at the V-G. He says the hospital has a protocol for employees who may come in contact with a patient with bed bugs.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Rick Grant.