CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Va. (WRIC)– The Cumberland County School District has now confirmed twelve cases of scabies throughout their elementary, middle and high schools.
On Monday, October 7, nine cases of scabies were confirmed, but the district said three more have been confirmed this week. Cumberland elementary school has six cases, the middle school has three, and the high school has three.
In a letter sent home to parents on Friday, a ninth-grader reported scabies on Wednesday. The next day a sixth and ninth-grader reported the skin condition, bringing the total to twelve.
The district reported its first case at the elementary school on October 3 and since then it has continued to spread.
The Superintendent, Dr. Amy Griffin, told 8News although the number of cases have increased, “the number of daily cases confirmed are decreasing”. Griffin said parents should still be checking their children for symptoms and should not send them to school if they show any signs of scabies.
Griffin also says for at least the next six weeks, she will be sending ‘Health Updates’ to parents every Wednesday and Friday.
Cleaning at all three schools is still ongoing. The district has contracted a cleaning service to steam the carpets at the elementary school this weekend.
Scabies is caused by the microscopic human itch mite, which burrows into the skin where it lives and lays its eggs. It is usually spread by prolonged skin-to-skin contact, according to the CDC.
Click here for more information about scabies, including the symptoms listed by the Virginia Department of Health.
