The “Mirror” newspaper reported the discovery of at least 12 medically confirmed cases of scabies in Devon.
The newspaper pointed out that:
* All of these cases are concentrated in one local area, which is Torbay.
* 5 schools are currently dealing with cases of scabies.
* These five schools, including two primary schools, have closed as a precautionary measure to protect children.
But three schools, Torquay Boys’ Grammar School, Torquay Academy, and a primary school that requested anonymity, denied these claims to “The Sun,” and confirmed they are still open.
Scabies:
Earlier this week, South Devon College sent an email to parents warning them of a highly contagious mite infiltrating the student body.
Scabies is a very itchy skin rash caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin and lay their eggs.
This scaly and flaky rash usually affects the elbows, knees, feet, and hands, and appears on the skin between the fingers and wrists.
But it can spread throughout the body, to the armpits, waist, groin, and buttocks.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA): “When a person develops symptoms, they can persist for weeks or months, may be difficult to distinguish, and are often misattributed to other skin conditions, leading to onward transmission easily, while scabies is most often spread by direct skin contact.”
This time of year is ideal for scabies to spread quickly in communities, with children returning to schools and universities, meaning close contact in shared spaces is common, increasing the risk of this highly contagious condition spreading.
