Some Central Albertans might have inadvertently been exposed to scabies while at Red Deer hospital.
About 200 individuals, who were intensive care patients at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) between Oct. 6, 2018 and March 5, are being notified they may have been exposed to scabies.
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A person in the unit was diagnosed, then isolated and treated to prevent further spread.
Scabies is an infestation caused by a mite which causes an itchy rash. It is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, sometimes even before a person is aware they have it. Periodic outbreaks can occur in public facilities such as day cares, schools, hospitals and long term care centres.
In most cases the infestation can be effectively treated by a cream applied to the skin. This is not a result of over-capacity, aging infrastructure, or poor cleaning practices.
This case is not considered a risk to the general public. Only individuals contacted directly by AHS are considered potentially exposed. To protect patient privacy and confidentiality, AHS will not be providing any further details.
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