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WAUKESHA, Wis. - Bed bugs have been detected in two classrooms at Waukesha's Lowell Elementary School. Students are being relocated today while crews address the issue, the district said.
As a precaution, school officials recommend that parents thoroughly inspect all belongings—including backpacks and clothing—for bed bugs before students leave for and return from school.
School District of Waukesha statement
The School District of Waukesha released the following statement regarding the incident.
What they're saying:
"We recently found bed bugs in a few classrooms at Lowell. Bed bugs are a nuisance and can cause considerable discomfort, but their bites are not known to spread disease. Bed bugs are usually active at night and feed on human blood. The bite does not hurt at first, but it may become swollen and itch, much like a mosquito bite. Watch for clusters of bites, usually in a line, on exposed areas of the body. If you have medical concerns for you or your child, please contact your doctor.
It is important to understand that having bed bugs does not mean the home, school, or public place is unclean or poorly kept. These bugs can travel on items like clothing, backpacks and lunchboxes, or can be picked up on buses or taxis – anything that travels to and from the school. As a precaution, we are asking parents to thoroughly inspect all other belongings, such as backpacks and clothing, for bed bugs before your child leaves and/or returns from school.
Even though it is unlikely for bed bugs to reproduce and spread in schools, we will continue to work to identify pests, provide thorough inspections of the school, and have licensed pest control specialists treat classrooms if appropriate."
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For more information on bed bugs:
- The Wisconsin Department of Health Services "Bed Bugs in Wisconsin Information Sheet."
- Bed bug information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Or, contact Waukesha County Health Department at 262-896-8430.
Waukesha County's Environmental Health Manager
What they're saying:
Waukesha County's Environmental Health Manager released the following statement.
"In regard to the bed bugs, we have not been involved with the school. Our involvement, should they reach out, would be limited to consultation. It looks like the school sent a letter home acknowledging the bed bugs & action steps on their part with regard to the facility. I suspect they are taking steps to determine the source (if not already known) while being cautious so as not to disclose the identity of any student(s) who may have brought them from home. Bed bugs are considered a nuisance (like lice), children cannot be excluded from school nor would a school close because of them."
The Source: Information in this post was provided by the School District of Waukesha and the Waukesha County Division of Environmental Health.