ACTUAL PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM DOWNPLAYED: Health Department trying to cover up bedbug problem at its headquarters.

The Health Department is trying to sweep a bedbug problem at its shimmering Long Island City headquarters under the rug, sources told The Post.

“We’re the Health Department, and they don’t let us know, they don’t keep us informed. I was told they don’t want mass hysteria — but people have a right to know,” a source told The Post.

At least five floors have so far been affected by the six-legged scourge, sources said, but agency higher ups are not being up front about the problem.

Sigh. How come we can’t get Bloomberg to pay more attention to bedbugs than to big gulps? Insufficient opportunity for nannying, I guess.