Scabies cases reported at Logan County elementary school

School and health officials are looking into reported scabies cases at Holden Central Elementary School, the Logan County superintendent told our sister station WSAZ Thursday.

She said they’ve had “a few” confirmed cases at the school, explaining there are about 10 cases total. The first case was brought to their attention last Thursday. As a result, school officials have and are adding additional custodial employees to the school after hours for extra cleaning.

Schools officials told WSAZ that parents were not notified of the issue because of confidentiality, but parents became frustrated when they found out. "It's not something you want to deal with but it would be nice to know ahead of time before I send my children up here," parent Stephanie Ooten said.

The superintendent also says the head school nurse has been in contact with the health department and the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) for guidance.

“We are taking every precaution for the safety of the students,” she said.

Scabies are mites that burrow under the skin and can cause extreme itching. The Center for Disease Control said they can spread rapidly under crowded conditions and through skin-to-skin contact.

The head nurse tells us all confirmed cases have been treated. She said the health department is not referring to the cases as an outbreak, and school officials are taking every precaution to prevent the spread.

If you think your child has scabies, the CDC recommends seeing a doctor for treatment. The mites cannot survive more than two to three days away from human skin, so all bedding and clothing should be washed in hot water and dried using a hot cycle.