Scabies on the rise in Central Florida

There's been a major increase in reports of scabies in Central Florida, according to health officials at CentraCare.

Scabies patient numbers have doubled from last week at several locations and jumped by 200 percent or more at the Waterford Lakes and Mount Dora Centra Care urgent care centers, according to a CentraCare news release.

Scabies, a very easily spread skin disease, is usually spread by direct, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Daycare centers, schools and nursing homes can be prone to outbreaks.

Symptoms include:

• Itching, especially at night
  
• Rashes
  
• Sores from scratching
  
• Thin, pencil-like lines on the skin
  

CentraCare reports the most commonly affected areas are:

• Between the fingers
  
• Wrist
  
• Elbow
  
• Armpit
  
• Genitals