Ten children from seven schools were found to have contracted the contagious skin infection scabies when health authorities investigated an outbreak that started in an old people’s home.
All the children and any people who could have come into close contact with them – such as parents, friends and teachers – were treated with a lotion and the situation was under control, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Department director Charmaine Gauci said.
She stressed there was no cause for alarm because the outbreak was contained.
Dr Gauci said that although scabies –caused by a mite that burrowed under the skin – was an uncomfortable, itchy infection it was treatable.
Five of the infected children were linked to staff members who worked in a Sa Maison old people’s home where 49 cases of scabies were detected over the past week, she said. These included 35 residents and 14 staff members.
The situation in the residential home was under control because all those infected and potentially infected were treated and no new cases were reported, she said.
Dr Gauci said scabies was also perceived to be a wartime infection. But over the past years a number of cases were reported around the world.
The present outbreak was more widespread than normal but this was due to the fact that it originated in an institution where it was bound to spread.
Dr Gauci explained that the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit was notified about the outbreak at the home on October 5. Experts went on site to examine the situation and administered the lotion to all those infected.
Health officials then traced the paths of anyone who could have come into close contact with the individuals who had been affected, and administered the precautionary lotion to them for free.
Investigations found that five children of staff members were infected. Health staff went to their schools where meetings were held with parents.
Meanwhile, five other unconnected children and two adults were found to have scabies too.
One of the 10 children also attended a day centre. They attended two primary schools in Paola, a primary school in Ħamrun and secondary schools in Cospicua, Sliema and Sta Venera. A private school in Tarxien and a day care centre in Żejtun were also involved.
Dr Gauci said that contrary to common misconception scabies was not related to lack of clean-liness and hygiene. The mite was transmitted from one person to the other through close contact and anyone could get infected, she said. She cautioned people who suspected they had scabies not to use lotions unless those prescribed because they could develop resistance to the product.
The Superintendent of Public Health has encouraged doctors to notify the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit of any suspected and confirmed cases they might encounter in their practice to help mitigate the outbreak in the community.