NIKE HAS  TEMPORARILY CLOSED ITS flagship New York store due to an infestation of bedbugs.

A spokesperson for the sportswear giant said in a statement:

Our primary concern is the well-being of our consumers and sales associates, we are taking all proper steps to eradicate the problem, and we expect the store to reopen shortly.

This is the seventh large New York retailer to close following a discovery of bedbugs in their stores.

The others include Abercrombie & Fitch and Victoria’s Secret. Numerous office buildings and apartments have also closed due to the pests. The city is treating the outbreak very seriously and has put $500,000 towards the extermination of the bugs.

Bedbugs are only half a centimeter across and bite people for blood to survive. The bites can cause itching and scabs on some people. The recent spread of these creatures is being blamed on international travel.

There is growing concern of bedbug infestation in the States following a study conducted by the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky. A huge 95% of respondents claim to have encountered a bedbug infestation in the past 12 months. In comparison, only 25% had encountered one in 2000.