By Jim Scott
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANHATTAN — The number of bed bug cases reported in New York City schools per month has tripled compared to last year, according a published report.
Bed bug incidents were reported in schools on average 340 times per month from September through January this school year, according to Department of Education statistics cited by the New York Post. That's up from last year's average of 104 cases per month in the schools.
Each confirmed incident doesn't necessarily mean there in a major bed bug outbreak, according to the DOE. All it takes is one bed bug spotted on a student's clothing for an incident to be documented, the Post reported.
"Schools are not hospitable environments for bedbugs," a department spokeswoman told the paper.
Not everyone agrees with the DOE's assessment.
"In many buildings, bedbugs are not managed correctly, and therefore not eliminated. Why would it be surprising that reports are increasing in schools?" said Renee Corea, who was on a city advisory board last year on bed bugs, told the Post.
There were 1,019 total bed bug sightings reported last year, up from 542 in 2008-09 school year, according to city data.
