Scabies outbreak at hospital closes wards
Getty ImagesA Welsh hospital has restricted visitors and closed two wards following an outbreak of scabies.
Hywel Dda health board said the wards at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, were shut because of the infection, and visitors had been limited since Sunday.
Scabies is a highly contagious skin infestation caused by microscopic mites that burrow under the skin and spread through close skin contact.
The health board said a number of cases were being managed in healthcare and the community, which covers Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire, and the risk to the wider public was low.
What is scabies?
Scabies is a common skin condition and can affect people of all ages.
It causes itching, especially at night, as well as a raised rash or spots that usually spread across the whole body.
Unlike bed bugs, scabies mites are not visible to the human eye, and they are also not caused by poor hygiene.
How do you get scabies?
Scabies is highly contagious and spread through prolonged skin-to-skin contact or shared bedding or clothing with partners and household members.
But it is not typically associated with serious illness and can be treated effectively by applying over-the-counter cream or lotion to the entire body.
Every person in an affected household needs to be treated at the same time.
All bedding and clothing in the affected household needs to be washed at 60C on the first day of treatment. Anything that cannot washed should be placed in a sealed bag for at least three days until the mites die.
Sharon Daniel, executive director of nursing, quality and patient experience at the health board, said "direct action" was being taken to treat patients, staff, and contacts. Wards were also being deep cleaned.
She said: "Scabies is highly contagious and difficult to eradicate, and we are grateful to everyone for their continued support.
"We will be contacting individuals whose planned care appointments may be impacted by this, as soon as possible. This does not impact services provided by the Minor Injury Unit."
