A care home in Mauritius has been exposed for a severe bedbug infestation: bedrooms, mattresses, beds and walls were all heavily infested, leaving 57 elderly residents trapped — including centenarians and people with severe disabilities. After photos of the infestation surfaced, the social security minister visited the home in person and found that management had long told the authorities the situation was under control, a claim completely at odds with the reality in the photos. The government has now launched an investigation.
What happened: infestation photos surface, ministers visit in person
- The home is Foyer Trochetia in Pointe-aux-Sables, housing 57 elderly residents, including centenarians and people with severe disabilities.
- Photos that surfaced show bedrooms, mattresses, beds and walls heavily infested by bedbugs — a shocking sight.
- Social Security Minister Ashok Subron and Junior Minister Kugan Parapen visited the home in person to assess the residents’ living conditions first-hand and seek explanations from management.
- Parapen said management had previously claimed the situation was under control, but the photos told a completely different story: “I listened to the management’s version during the week and I do not understand why we were led to believe the situation was under control, when the images show a completely different reality.” He also admitted the ministry had not been aware of the scale of the outbreak.
An outbreak running for a year? Room rotations, furniture and wiring all hit
- According to Parapen, the infestation actually dates back to last year — it is not a recent outbreak.
- The home had previously used a rotation system: residents were temporarily moved out of affected units so rooms could be cleaned.
- Bedbugs had also infested furniture and electrical conduits, and remedial work was carried out. The situation initially appeared to improve.
- But the newly surfaced photos show a major, ongoing infestation, proving the earlier work never eradicated the problem.
- Critics say the problem dragged on for over a year without being fixed: Ali Jookhun, founder of the Down Syndrome Association Mauritius and U-Link, said management was utterly overwhelmed, leaving vulnerable residents to live in conditions entirely incompatible with their health requirements.
Relocation is hard: temporary centre unsuitable, most families refuse
- The Pointe-aux-Sables Recreational Centre was considered as a temporary transfer site, but was deemed unsuitable for the residents’ complex needs.
- Officials approached families to take in their relatives temporarily, but the majority refused.
- Authorities are now exploring other options, including the former Flacq hospital and Moka hospital, though no definitive decision has been made.
Government investigation: accountability, sanctions not ruled out
- The investigation will focus on accountability: why the information management gave the ministry failed to reflect the true conditions at the home.
- It will also examine whether there were systemic failures in how information was passed on and how the outbreak was managed.
- Administrative sanctions have not been ruled out, depending on what the inquiry uncovers.
What Hong Kong readers can learn: what to check when visiting a care home
- When visiting a care home, check bed edges, mattress seams, walls and furniture gaps for black spots, blood stains, dead bugs or eggs.
- Before an elderly relative moves in, inspect the bed frame, mattress edges and wardrobe gaps — never assume a new place is clean.
- After a visit, wash clothes in hot water and tumble-dry them, and never put your coat on the bed, so you do not carry bedbugs home.
- Report any sign of bugs to the home’s management immediately, in writing, and do not wait; if management does not follow up, complain to the relevant authorities.
Before a trip, read the travel bed bug checklist; if bed bugs come home with you, the DIY bed bug removal guide has the full process.
Sources
(Written: 2026-10-29; compiled from public reports. The duration of the infestation, relocation options and investigation progress are as reported; the story is from Mauritius, reported 2026-07-02.)