Specialist assesses skin outbreak at Geriatric Hospital

Health officials have neither confirmed nor denied reports that scabies is behind the outbreak of a contagious skin condition affecting patients at the Geriatric Hospital, as frontline staff await definitive answers.

However, Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George has confirmed that it is “a dermatological condition”.

A private dermatologist conducted an in-depth assessment of affected patients at the Beckles Road, St Michael, facility on Monday, in an effort to identify the cause of the outbreak.

“Well, I can’t confirm,” Dr George told Barbados TODAY in an interview on Monday regarding the speculation about a scabies diagnosis. “What I would say is that the dermatologist will come in to see the patients today. And I believe that, in the interest of [the public], I think we need to wait and see what that [the skin condition] is. That is what I could say at this time—that it is a dermatological condition and we are getting an expert to come in and make a determination.”

Asked whether the situation was under control, he replied: “Yes, I’m meeting with the team today. If I have more information I will share. We have had this before . . . . People could say what they want to say. We have had outbreaks in the Geriatric [Hospital] before; we tried to contain it as quickly as possible.

“But it’s not something that I’m going to lose sleepless nights over because we’re going to sort it out. I said a week to ten days [in terms of updating the public] and I stand by what I said.”

Last Friday, the Ministry of Health confirmed that nine patients were being treated for a skin condition associated with an infectious outbreak at the hospital. According to a press release, treatment has also begun for staff members exhibiting “unusual symptoms”.

The ministry stated that it had activated its National Infection Prevention and Control Plan across all geriatric institutions on the island as a precaution, while suspending public visits to Units 1 and 2 of the hospital until further notice.

Although officials have yet to formally identify the disease, a well-placed source connected to the hospital said that the condition is believed to be scabies, and that patients received treatment over the weekend.

Scabies is a highly contagious skin condition caused by infestation with the Sarcoptes scabiei mite, a microscopic parasite that burrows into the skin to lay eggs. The infestation triggers an allergic reaction in the host, leading to intense itching and a pimple-like rash. The condition spreads most commonly through prolonged direct contact and is particularly prevalent in settings such as nursing homes, where close contact and shared spaces are unavoidable. 

(SZB)