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Bed bug found in King’s Fork High School library

Posted at 3:38 PM, Apr 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-15 22:39:03-04

SUFFOLK, Va. - A bed bug was found in the library media center of King's Fork High School Thursday afternoon, according to a letter from the school's principal.

Students were given the letter at Friday's dismissal. A recorded phone message to parents from the principal was sent at 3:15 p.m.

Some students tell NewsChannel 3 they were not happy when they found out.

"A lot of people go to the library, a lot of people that I know ask to go to the library," says Symeon Helms, a student at King's Fork High School. "It's nasty. I will never go now, I won't even try or attempt."

The letter says an inspection was conducted and the affected areas will be treated Friday evening by pest control. Suffolk Public Schools will keep monitoring the school for bed bugs and continue to work with the pest management company.

This is the letter released by the principal:

Dear Parent or Guardian:

As a principal of King's Fork High School, I want to keep our parents informed of situations that arise at our school. On Thursday afternoon, a bed bug was found in the library media center. As you know, bed bugs have been in the media lately because they are making a comeback as a common household pest. Bed bugs are found in many places, including homes, hotels, movie theaters, and planes.

An inspection was conducted and the areas affected will be treated this evening by a licensed pest control specialist. Suffolk Public Schools will continue to monitor the school for bed bugs and work closely with the pest management company.

Bed bugs are a nuisance, but they are not a public health threat. Their bites do not spread disease. We are providing additional information about bed bugs for you to review through the school division's Peachjar e-flyer system. Based on contact information in our student information system, you might already be receiving emails from Peachjar. If not, you can find the link from the KFHS website (http://spsk12,net), at the bottom of the left column.

If you have medical concerns for you or your child, please contact your healthcare provider or school nurse for questions regarding proper care and treatment of bed bug bites.

If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse, Mrs. Heather Loushe at heatherloushe@spsk12.net or call Mrs. Loushe at (757) 923-5240.

School officials also included background information on bed bugs in the letter. For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.