Scabies outbreak: Cases spread to four hospitals in New South Wales

A scabies outbreak ravaging four NSW hospitals has blown out, as health officials assure residents they are ‘working hard to control the outbreak’.

NSW Health confirmed in a statement on Tuesday the number of scabies patients across four of hospitals in the Illawarra, south of Sydney, had risen to 38, including 14 patients and 24 staff.

The first case of the infectious skin condition was reported at Wollongong Hospital, but had since been reported at hospitals in nearby Coledale, Shellharbour, and Bulli.

Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) chief executive Margot Mains said she recognised the ‘impact this unpleasant condition has had on patients and staff’.

‘(I) would like to reassure them and the community that we are working hard to control the outbreak and support those affected,’ Ms Mains said in a statement.

Scabies is a treatable infectious skin condition caused by tiny mites which burrow into the skin, but like headlice can be difficult to contain – especially in a hospital setting.

‘Because scabies has an incubation period of up to six to eight weeks, is easily transmitted and can have minimal symptoms initially, there may be undetected cases within our facilities and community,’ she said.

‘To prevent the risk of further transmission, the district will provide preventive treatment for all current inpatients and staff across all our hospital sites and services.’

Patients discharged from hospital since mid-May were also being urged to watch out for symptoms and to contact their GPs should they develop an itchy rash.

Symptoms of scabies include rashes, commonly on the wrists, between fingers and toes, in the armpits, elbows, groin and bottom, as well as sores and thick skin crusts.

In an earlier statement, Health Minister Ryan Park said ‘people don’t have to be worried or scared’ of scabies, and that hospitals were necessarily being ‘overly cautious’.

‘That’s why we’re doing everything we can to try and make sure that not only are our patients treated and looked after and prevented from (getting) scabies, but also our staff and those visiting the hospital,’ he said.

‘Scabies is something that is quite common, doesn’t have any long term impacts, and it’s easily treatable.’