GEORGE NEWS - Garden Route district health spokesperson Nadia Ferreira has confirmed that more than 200 children from various primary schools in Thembalethu were sent to Thembalethu Clinic with itching and a rash.
This follows an increasing number of scabies cases reported in the Oudtshoorn district last week by the Western Cape Health Department.
The public was asked not to panic as Oudtshoorn Disaster Management was monitoring the situation and was continuously liaising with the health department.
Ferreira said no specific cause could be established for the itching and rash among the children reporting to Thembalethu Clinic. All the children were examined and a few were diagnosed with scabies.
"However, no infectious diseases like measles or chicken pox were found. Most of the children are healthy and no specific cause for itching could be determined. The children are being given antihistamines, cream and scabies treatment where appropriate," said Ferreira.
The schools have been asked to stop sending children to the clinics as crowd control is becoming difficult.
Ferreira said Western Cape Government Health is liaising with Western Cape Government Education to assess the children and send treatment to the schools.
"The environmental health practitioner (EHP) team is visiting the schools to assess the cause. Bird lice, other lice, ticks and fleas are suspected. The EHP team will advise Western Cape Government Education and Disaster Management regarding appropriate measures.
"We ask everyone to please remain calm, the situation is being actively managed."
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