Morocco Bans Import of Used Furniture and Bedding to Combat Bed Bug Spread

The import of second-hand carpets, sheets, blankets, wooden furniture, furnishings, parquet floors and household appliances by MREs, or others, is now subject to special and prior authorization. This is the decision made by the Ministry of Industry and Trade after consultation with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, reports SNRT News. This decision came into effect on October 30, the date of its publication in the official bulletin.

In early October, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection had confirmed the absence of an exceptional spread of bed bugs in Morocco. It has also strengthened health surveillance at the borders, ensured monitoring in high-risk areas and published recommendations for travelers on its website. It has also activated a surveillance system for the early detection of any unusual incidents and notably advised against buying second-hand mattresses, furniture or clothing from regions with a high presence of these insects.

France is one of the European countries affected by the proliferation of bed bugs. These insects are hematophagous: they suck the blood of their host, which results in small red bites, often grouped, on the skin. These can cause itching. They are transmitted through fabric - clothing therefore - and settle in beds, where they reproduce extremely quickly. The invasion of these small creatures has unsuspected financial and psychological consequences. Between 2017 and 2022, 11% of French households were infested with bed bugs, according to the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) in a report published in July.