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Richmond jumps up spot on bed bugs cities list

Posted at 10:46 PM, Feb 27, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-28 11:12:20-05

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – Richmond ranks as the number 11 worst city in the nation for bed bugs, according to a recent survey from Orkin.

The list ranks cities by the number of bed bug treatments Orkin performed from January to December 2013, along with any shift in ranking compared to 2012.

Richmond-Petersburg came in at number 11, which is up one spot from last year.

Chicago ranked number one for the cities with the most bed bugs. Los Angeles came in second, followed by Columbus, Detroit and Cincinnati.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, bed bugs can carry more than 30 different human pathogens, but there is no evidence that bed bugs can transmit diseases. Their bites can cause itchy welts and victims may develop red marks or swelling.

CBS 6 anchor Lorenzo Hall reported that hundreds of Richmond apartments were infested with bed bugs in August 2013.

Angela Conley said she was forced to sleep on an air mattress after tossing out her old bed and furniture because of bed bugs.

Those bed bugs forced Conley into a newer apartment within Gilpin Court after her last unit became severely infested with the little bugs.

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