The Hywel Dda Health Board did not disclose how many cases are at the Prince Philip Hospital in Wales
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NEED TO KNOW
- Two wards at Prince Philip Hospital in Wales have closed following a rise in scabies cases
- Officials are treating patients, staff and contacts while deep-cleaning affected wards
- Health leaders said the public’s risk remains low despite visitor restrictions
A hospital in Wales has imposed restrictions after a recent scabies outbreak.
The Hywel Dda Health Board announced on Sunday, Sept. 27, that Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, has been impacted by a recent rise in infections caused by the skin mites.
Two of the hospital’s wards have been closed, and restrictions have been implemented for visitors to the facility.
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Hywel Dda University Health Board executive director Sharon Daniel said the changes were made “to limit the spread of scabies on our site and in our community.”
“We are taking direct action to treat patients, staff and contacts, and undertake deep cleaning of our wards, in line with infection prevention and control measures,” she continued.
The hospital board did not disclose how many cases are at the Prince Philip Hospital in Wales.
Those with scabies were being treated in healthcare facilities in the region, and the hospital said that the risk to the general public remains low despite the outbreak.
Scabies is a skin rash caused by Sarcoptes scabiei mites, which burrow into a person’s skin, according to the Mayo Clinic. The highly contagious infection spreads easily through close, long-term person-to-person contact. The infection is not caused by poor hygiene or any serious illness.
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Because scabies is highly contagious, everyone in an affected household should be treated. The treatment is typically an over-the-counter cream or lotion applied to the entire body.
PEOPLE reached out to Prince Philip Hospital for comment.
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