{"id":598302,"date":"2025-11-28T02:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T02:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/598302\/"},"modified":"2025-11-28T02:00:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T02:00:17","slug":"scabies-outbreak-sweeps-across-devon-as-more-schools-with-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/598302\/","title":{"rendered":"Scabies outbreak sweeps across Devon as more schools with cases"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A total of five schools reportedly have confirmed cases<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1_featureimage.jpg\" alt=\"File image of person scratching their arm \" loading=\"eager\"  \/>File image of person scratching their arm (Image: Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">A further 12 cases of a Victorian-era disease have been reportedly confirmed across schools in <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.devonlive.com\/all-about\/south-devon\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">South Devon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">A total of seven cases of scabies were confirmed by a medical professional earlier this week after there was an outbreak among students.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Today (Thursday, November 27) a further 12 cases have reportedly been confirmed across a number of schools in the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.devonlive.com\/all-about\/torbay\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Torbay<\/a> area.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">There are reportedly cases of scabies at five schools, including two primary schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Torbay Help Hub warned parents, carers, and workers to contact their schools to find out what measures they are putting in place following the outbreak.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">It said: &#8220;Confirmed scabies cases at the following Torbay locations.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"UnorderedList_unordered-list__gzblI\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"unordered-list\" publication=\"devonlive\">\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">South Devon College (Seven cases so far)<\/li>\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">Paignton Academy (Three cases so far)<\/li>\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">Torquay Academy (Three cases so far)<\/li>\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">St Marychurch Primary School (Five cases confirmed so far)<\/li>\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">Homelands Primary School (One confirmed case so far).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">&#8220;Symptoms include: intense itching, especially at night, and a rash with tiny red spots or bumps.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">&#8220;If you think you may have scabies, stay home, avoid contact with others and call <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.devonlive.com\/all-about\/nhs\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">NHS<\/a> 111 non-emergency line.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">&#8220;Please contact your school, college, or workplace to find out what measures they are putting in place.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Earlier this week <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.devonlive.com\/news\/devon-news\/scabies-outbreak-devon-college-confirmed-10668967\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">DevonLive reported<\/a> that South Devon College sent an email to parents and carers warning of a confirmed outbreak of scabies among a number of students.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">The college said: &#8220;We have been notified of seven confirmed cases of scabies amongst our student community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">&#8220;These cases have been diagnosed by a health professional&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">On Tuesday (November 25) the college said there were no confirmed cases among staff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Scabies is caused by a mite which burrows into the skin, causing intense itching due to an allergic reaction to the parasite and its waste products.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">The UKHSA said: &#8220;Scabies is a parasitic infection of the skin caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite, which buries into the skin and causes intense itching and rashes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">&#8220;Transmission from person to person occurs through close physical contact including, but not exclusively, sexual contact.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Scabies requires treatment to go away, and infections don&#8217;t pass with time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Scabies is not usually a serious condition but it does need to be treated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Anyone diagnosed with scabies should begin treatment, and all people in their household will also need to be treated at the same time, regardless of whether they have symptoms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">The NHS said: &#8220;Scabies is an itchy rash caused by mites. It&#8217;s spread through close skin contact, and anyone can get it. It should be treated quickly to stop it spreading.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">&#8220;The symptoms include intense itching, especially at night, and a raised rash or spots.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Adults and children aged five years or over can go back to work or school as soon as they have started treatment, but it&#8217;s important to avoid close contact with other people for the first 24 hours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"devonlive\">Children under five years old can go back to nursery or pre-school 24 hours after the first treatment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A total of five schools reportedly have confirmed casesFile image of person scratching their arm (Image: Alamy\/PA) A&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":598303,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[2266,105,211,98874,116739,77611,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-598302","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-education","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-nhs","11":"tag-paignton","12":"tag-torbay","13":"tag-torquay","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115624858903541661","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598302","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=598302"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598302\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/598303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=598302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=598302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=598302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}