Second reported scabies alert at UNF this month
Update: Officials at UNF have confirmed the report of 16 students identified to be treated for or exposed to scabies.
Of the five students diagnosed and treated, four were on-campus residents and one off-campus.
Eleven students were identified through contact tracing as potentially exposed. Four were treated prophylactically, one declined treatment and six did not seek treatment through Student Health Services.
Original Story: According to the University of North Florida’s digital newspaper, Spinnaker, 16 UNF students have either been exposed to or diagnosed with scabies.
“Three of the cases were identified in the past week and the other 13 were found by last Monday,” SHS Director Dr. Valerie Morrison told the Spinnaker. Of the 16 students identified, five were diagnosed and treated for scabies (4 on-campus, and 11 were identified through contact tracing as potentially exposed.
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Action News Jax first reported on Feb. 9, 2023, that UNF freshman dorm residents were alerted to possible exposure to the skin infestation. Officials confirmed at that time that they identified 13 students who “either required treatment for infection or prophylactic treatment due to exposure to scabies.” Four of the students had been diagnosed with the infection.
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Dr. Chirag Patel is the Assistant Chief Medical Officer and the Director of Hospital Medicine at UF Health Jacksonville.
During the first alert of possible exposure on Feb. 9, he told Action News Jax, “Just brushing somebody’s hand, things like that, that won’t do it but holding someone’s hand for a couple minute, certainly,” he said. “It’s not like it’s on your sweater and someone borrows your sweater and going to get it like that, it’s prolonged skin-to-skin contact.”
Dr. Patel said scabies is certainly an annoying problem to have but easy to take care of and recovery ranges in time frame.
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This is a developing story. ANJ is awaiting more information from officials from UNF.
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