The Ministry of Health’s General Directorate of Public Health has found an outbreak of scabies in a nursing home in Catral, Alicante, with 14 cases verified thus far.
An outbreak was announced on October 29th when a staff worker and a family member were both diagnosed with the disease. Testing the residents revealed 12 additional cases.
Seven of the care home’s 19 employees were told to get treatment after close contact with sick people. It is not yet clear if they too have the virus. The Orihuela Public Health Centre, according to sources at the Regional Ministry of Health, is closely monitoring the outbreak.
The regional government has made it clear that scabies is a skin infection caused by a tiny mite called “Sarcoptes scabiei.” “It’s not a serious disease,” even if it causes extreme itching.
The health department has told people that scabies “is spread by direct and long-term contact with the skin of an infested person, so it usually only affects people who live with or are very close to them.”
She also said that “the treatment is simple and generally works,” because “it consists of putting on a certain cream or lotion that kills the mite and its eggs.” She went on to say that there are also oral therapy alternatives.
“Scabies can be controlled fairly quickly if people who are affected and their contacts are treated at the same time and good hygiene is practised.” He said, “It’s important to remember that the infestation isn’t because of poor personal hygiene and that finding it early and following health guidelines will ensure a full and easy resolution.”
Lastly, the Ministry of Health has said, “In any case, every year there is some outbreak of scabies in places where a lot of people live together.”
Author: Derek Appleton
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