Five residents, one mite, zero visitors: scabies shuts down Ribnica care home

The Mavida Ribnica home for the elderly (DSO) has confirmed an outbreak of scabies. The infection is confirmed in one resident. Four more count as probable cases, which in the institution's language means they itch just the same but do not yet have a diagnosis.

The home's director, Sandra Mujanović Gavranović, confirmed the outbreak to Svet24. The home has therefore restricted visits, and the relevant services are said to be already carrying out the prescribed measures, whatever that means in practice for relatives waiting at the door.

The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) has also been notified of the outbreak and has reported it to the health inspectorate. The home is now following the guidelines for such outbreaks, that is, a protocol prepared in advance, because scabies evidently turns up in care homes for the elderly often enough that a form has already been drawn up for it.

Scabies is caused by a microscopic itch mite that burrows into the upper layer of the skin and lays eggs there, which causes intense itching. The disease spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, but also through shared bedding, towels or clothing, since the mite survives outside the body for a few more days. That explains why one infected resident and one shared laundry can quickly lengthen the list of probable cases.

Visits will most likely remain restricted until the health inspectorate decides otherwise, which in Slovenian care homes for the elderly usually means longer than anyone would like.