Patient with highly contagious scabies admitted to Groningen hospital

A patient with a highly contagious form of scabies is being treated at the The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). The hospital said on Thursday that the patient is currently isolated on a nursing ward and no other infections have been diagnosed.

No further info has been shared about the patient. It is also unclear how he or she contracted the disease. The patient is infected with a version of scabies called scabiës crustosa.

Groningen suffered with the “largest scabies outbreak in years” in 2022. This alarmed general practitioners and the GGD Groningen at the time. The disease often occurs among students.

A spokesperson told RTV Noord that this variant of the disease is very rare. “The last time that we had a patient with this variant of scabies was 14 years ago. It stayed at one case that time, which shows how rare it is.” The spokesperson added that people visiting the hospital are not in risk of contracting the disease. No extra measures are being taken as a result of the infection.

Someone can become infected with this "through brief care contact, presence in the same room or through contact with the patient's linen or clothing.” People infected with scabies suffer from sores on the skin and severe itching. The condition is contagious and annoying but not dangerous. People who are infected by this are treated with cream or pills.

The disease is spread through the scabies mite. The small insect moves from person to person with ease.