The government said on Saturday that it held a briefing to prevent bed bugs gaining a foothold in the SAR.

In a statement, it said the acting secretary for Environment and Ecology, Diane Wong had met with representatives from the Airport Authority, the MTR Corporation, the hotel sector, the Tourism Commission and several government departments to discuss how to prevent a bedbug infestation.

It said Wong was also briefed on preventive measures already in place, including the cruise terminal.

It said officials from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Port Health Division of the Centre for Health Protection offered technical advice.

Wong said the government would closely monitor the situation and would beef up communication with frontline organisations and sectors, and would also continue to provide technical support and coordinate efforts. The government also plans to educate the public on the issue and will distribute leaflets to the relevant sectors.

The MTR Corporation said on Friday it had inspected an Airport Express train and cleaned it at high temperatures, after a passenger reported seeing a bed bug on a seat.

The situation is under increasing scrutiny in the city after South Korea said there had been at least 33 reports of bedbug infestations across the country between the middle of last month and November 5.

In Britain, some Tube passengers have refused to sit on seats after online footage of a bed bug on a passenger's leg, and Paris has reportedly also been hit by an outbreak of the insects in schools, trains, hospitals and cinemas.