Morriston Hospital Restricts Visitors Due to Scabies

Morriston Hospital in Swansea has implemented visiting restrictions due to a confirmed outbreak of scabies. A small number of cases of the contagious skin condition have been identified, leading health officials to take immediate action.

Families of affected patients have been notified, and the Swansea Bay University Health Board confirmed that appropriate treatment and guidance are being provided to patients, staff, and relatives. The health board expressed gratitude for the understanding of visitors during this time.

This development occurs in the wake of previous scabies outbreaks in Wales. Last month, Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli and Glangwili General Hospital in Carmarthenshire also managed similar outbreaks, prompting ward closures and admissions halts as a precautionary measure.

Scabies, described by the NHS as an intensely itchy rash caused by mites, spreads through close skin contact. Prompt treatment is recommended to prevent its spread. Symptoms include severe itching, particularly at night, and a rash that can appear anywhere on the body, commonly between fingers, around the wrists, and underarms.