Scabies spreads easily in places where people live cheek by jowl e.g. in care homes or student communities. It is pretty contagious and the mites that burrow into the top layer of the skin cause a persistent itch.
Chemist Anne Vanschoenwinkel: "A couple of years ago we saw hardly any cases of scabies. In recent months there's been a big increase. I believe the disease was able to develop here because of the open borders. People from everywhere come here. Not everybody lives in hygienic circumstances".
Comment: But borders have been open and migration has been ongoing for nearly a decade now, so it seems unlikely that this is the only factor. Note that for the elderly and vulnerable, lockdowns have meant that they've been essentially incarcerated in their homes for 20+ months.
"It's not a dangerous disease, but the itch is pretty annoying. The mites burrow into the skin and create little corridors. You will notice little red dots on your skin. You can easily get rid of it with the right treatment. Now scabies is getting more attention in the media people with skin conditions or an itch may worry. They are welcome to drop in at the pharmacist" says Vanschoenwinkel.
Comment: Outbreaks and unusual diseases have been on the rise for many years now, however since the beginning of the lockdowns and the roll out of the experimental jabs, there has been an explosion in diseases and illnesses, some of which were previously known to be rare: