The Las Vegas Strip Faces Another Dirty Little Health Problem (Bed Bugs)

The covid pandemic taught the world a few lessons you would like to think would have a lasting effect. First, being around a large group of people makes it easy for disease to spread, so it’s important to take basic precautions like washing your hands.

Hand sanitizer and some extra time with soapy water won’t stop you from getting sick but they will minimize the chances you transfer a virus from your hands to your face. It’s not a magic bullet that wipes out disease, but better basic hygiene and more prevalent hand sanitizer have been part of how cruise ships have generally kept people healthy since well before covid.  

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We also learned that being considerate to other people can also slow down the spread of disease. That could mean isolating at home while contagious or choosing (without the government making you) to wear a mask when you might be putting other people in danger.

The covid pandemic also taught us that there are limits to how much we can control. Some people got vaccinated, wore masks, and followed all the rules both real and imagined yet still got sick. Others flaunted the recommendations of medical professionals and either escaped unscathed or died touting their right to make their own choices.

That’s why some health warnings — including one that has been issued for Southern Nevada — are scary, even if there’s not much you can do to protect yourself.

Las Vegas May Have a Bed Bug Problem

The Southern Nevada Health District has issued a warning for the area that includes Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Strip.

“Bed bugs are common in Asia, Africa, Central and South America and Europe,”the SNHD website stated. “With the growth of international travel, bed bug infestations are steadily increasing” in Southern Nevada, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Given that it’s one of the biggest tourism destinations around the world, Las Vegas has always been vulnerable to bed bugs, which can spread quickly. A recent report using data from the Bed Bug Registry and TripAdvisor shared which Las Vegas Strip hotels had the worst bed bug problems.

• The Travelodge by Wyndham Las Vegas Center Strip
• The Excalibur Hotel and Casino (and MGM Resorts International MGM property)
• The Stratosphere Hotel, Casino and Tower
• The Luxor Hotel and Casino (also an MGM property)

“It is important to note that just because a hotel has had bed bug reports in the past, it does not necessarily mean it is currently infested,” the report’s author noted.

How Do You Avoid Bed Bugs?

While you can’t guarantee that you will always be able to detect and avoid bed bugs, Health.com shared some tips to protect yourself. One tip included reading reviews before you book your hotel to check for recent reports of infestations. (You can also see how the hotel handled the issue if they respond to the review).

The website also suggests putting your luggage in the bathroom until you have done an inspection of the bed.

“Look for blood stains or small black dots that look like mold or ground pepper, Christine Johnson, PhD, a behavioral ecologist in the American Museum of Natural History’s Division of Invertebrate Zoology, told Health.

You should also look for actual bugs or signs of their remains. That search should not be limited to the bed, but also to any couches or other surfaces.

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