Hospital ward closed after highly contagious scabies outbreak

A hospital ward has been closed following an outbreak of crusted scabies, a rare and highly contagious form of the illness.

Hywel Dda health board said Steffan Ward at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen, would be closed while the outbreak was managed "in line with established infection prevention and control procedures".

The health board said all patients and staff identified as contacts had been informed and offered treatment, including those that do not have symptoms.

Crusted scabies, previously known as Norwegian scabies, causes a "scaly rash and thickened crusts of skin" containing thousands of mites, and can be due to reduced immunity, although that is not always the case.

Hywel Dda health board said extra infection prevention and control measures had been put in place on the ward, including "enhanced monitoring, treatment of identified contacts and ongoing support from specialist teams".

It said there was a rise in scabies in the area it oversees – in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion – which was contributing to hospital outbreaks.

"The situation will be kept under review, and the ward will reopen in line with infection prevention and control guidance when it is safe to do so," it added.

Scabies is an itchy rash caused by mites, and should be treated quickly to stop it spreading.

According to the NHS, it is spread through close skin contact, and anyone can get it.

The symptoms of scabies are intense itching, especially at night, and a raised rash or spots that usually spreads across the whole body, apart from the head and neck.

It often affects skin between the fingers, around the wrists, under the arms, and around the waist, groin and bottom.

People with a weakened immune system can sometimes get a rare and very contagious type of scabies called crusted scabies.

The main symptom is a crusted, flaky rash that often affects the elbows, knees, hands and feet.