Bed bugs return to Athens courthouse

By Joe Johnson

The county government has announced that Municipal Court will be closed today and tomorrow due to bedbug infestation,

This makes the third time since July 2024 that the courthouse on East Washington Street has experienced closures for bedbug extermination.

Last year, the entire building was closed by anemergency order by Western Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Lisa Lott to provide the necessary multi-day measures to treat the infestation.

Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic insects that cannot fly. They are usually transported from place to place as people travel. Bed bugs can be transported from many different sources, including schools, hotels, and used furniture. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bed bugs are not known to spread disease and do not usually pose a serious medical threat. Bed bugs have been found in five-star hotels and resorts and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found.  

For more information on bed bugs, visit resources from the CDC (www.cdc.gov/bed-bugs), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (www.epa.gov/bedbugs), or the Georgia Department of Public Health (dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health/insects-and-diseases).

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