SUNNYVALE, Calif. (KGO) — A South Bay nonprofit is speaking out after reports of a scabies outbreak at its homeless shelter.
The shelter says that there are only presumed cases with none confirmed at his time.
People who say they’ve stayed there claim otherwise.
Inside the North County Shelter in Sunnyvale, more than 100 beds are set up for people experiencing homelessness.
Right now, less than 50 people are currently staying there.
“The county owns this facility and we contract with Bill Wilson to run the shelter day-to-day operations and provide day to day support to the clients,” said KJ Kaminski acting director of the Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing.
The Bill Wilson Center took over those day-to-day operations four weeks ago from another nonprofit.
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Last week, people who stayed at the shelter reported that several people had contracted scabies.
According to the CDC it’s an infestation of the skin by a human itch mite that causes intense itching and a rash.
Alma, a woman who went by her first name, said she’s stayed at the shelter for six months and contracted scabies.
“It’s just really uncomfortable, especially at night,” she said, “You can’t sleep. Toss and turn and just always itchy.”
The Bill Wilson Center addressed those concerns at a Thursday press conference.
“According to our partners at Santa Clara County Public Health, at this time, there are no confirmed cases of scabies. Only presumed cases pending the results of a skin test,” said Josh Selo, Bill Wilson Center CEO.
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ABC7 News reached out to the Santa Clara Public Health Department for confirmation. It sent a statement saying:
“The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department received report of a suspected scabies outbreak at the North County Shelter. While scabies cannot be confirmed without sample testing, doctors commonly prescribe treatment for scabies based on symptoms, as it is not always possible to identify a mite from the skin of a person experiencing symptoms. Scabies is easily treated and is not uncommon in facilities in which people live in close contact.”
The Bill Wilson CEO said Thursday that there are seven presumed cases and that those people have been physically isolated off site.
Advocate Shaunn Cartwright says she’s been helping many of the people isolated.
“I’ve been here at the hotel for five days as long as people have been here. All these people are diagnosed with scabies. It says so on their records,” she said.
Though Bill Wilson Center said it only knows of presumed cases, they say precautions include daily intensive cleaning.
Still Cartwright said more needs to be done.
“Everyone should be put in a hotel for three days while pest inspectors can bomb the building and take care of every pest that’s in there,” she said, “And then the people who do not have scabies in any form or any lice can be brought back into the building.”
The county’s Office of Supportive Housing said it will continue to work with the Bill Wilson Center to make sure that public health guidelines are followed.
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