Bed bugs have made their way into hotels, onto planes and now airports.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, officials at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport recently dealt with a bed bug infestation in Terminal 4. The bugs were discovered inside of three padded benches located in a pre-security area of the terminal.
Officials have since removed the benches.
The infestation is believed to be isolated to the benches so travelers passing through Sky Harbor shouldn't have to worry moving forward. One airport official told FOX 10 that bed bugs can pop up from time to time because of the sheer volume of travelers passing through the airport, which hosts 200,000 people every day.
The Mayo Clinic states that the nagging insects are more of a nuisance than a threat since they aren't known to spread disease.
"The risk of encountering bed bugs increases if you spend time in places with high turnovers of nighttime guests-such as hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters," says the medical organization, which also lists "increased international travel" among the potential links to bed bug infestations.
"Bed bugs are great hitchhikers. They can move from one site to another by traveling on clothing, luggage, furniture, bedding and boxes," the Mayo Clinic states.
While your odds of encountering a bed bug infestation at an airport are low, it's never a bad idea to inspect your luggage or hotel room.
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