RESIDENTS in various high-density suburbs of Harare have expressed concern over reports of bed bug (tsikidzi) infestation.The problem originated in Mbare flats, where the bugs were first spotted and have since spread to other areas, causing discomfort and health worries among residents.
In response, Harare City Council has fumigated Mbare flats in an attempt to contain the infestation.
Despite these efforts, NewsDay has established that the bugs have spread to suburbs such as Mabvuku, Kuwadzana and Budiriro, among others, prompting concerns about sanitation, hygiene and potential health implications in the capital.
The bed bugs are spreading owing to interactions between Mbare flats residents and people from suburbs across the city.
Residents in the affected suburbs, who spoke to NewsDay, traced the bug problem to visitors from Mbare.
“I am convinced that the bugs came from my cousins who visited us from Mbare flats. They slept over at our place and soon after, we started noticing the bugs in our home,” a resident said.
“It has been a nightmare ever since. My children are scratching themselves all night and I am at a loss as to what to do. We have tried everything from washing our bedding to using insecticides, but nothing seems to work. It’s like these bugs are everywhere.”
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume told NewsDay in an interview that the local authority has not received official reports from the areas affected.
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“In suburbs with detached houses, the tsikidzi do not spread. They will just affect that single house,” Mafume said.
“But for suburbs like Mbare, where there are flats, they spread faster. If people iron their clothes, they will be okay. We have not yet received any official report. It is just that we are fumigating. We will continue to make sure that we minimise the spread.”
Mafume attributed the spread of bed bugs to the second-hand clothes trade, saying the clothes may have been infested with the bug while in the market.
“I know we will win the war because we have fumigated once,” he said. “The problem is that there were some households that were not fumigated because people were not there. We are doing the first round of fumigation.
“Once we finish it, after 10 days, we will do another round to make sure that we continue to minimise the spread. Then, we will see whether they meet for the third round of fumigation. And then we will schedule regular fumigation.”
