Daycare Reports Scabies Outbreak
(CBS) -- Directors of a South Side daycare are dealing with an outbreak of scabies and updating parents about the efforts.
Scabies is caused by the tiny mite you see right here. They burrow into the skin and lay eggs, causing itchy bumps and blisters.
Celina Diaz's son is one of 14 children who had to be treated for scabies, while attending daycare, at the Chicago Commons Paulo Freire Family Center, here in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.
"They're trying to keep it together and keep everything clean. They've been working with the parents, letting them know what's going on," Diaz tells CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot.
On May 18, the center sent a letter to parents. At that time, two to three children had been exposed to scabies.
"It's one of those diseases that incubates for about 10 to 12 days, so it's very hard to detect. So, about 10 days later is when we had our second outbreak of children and adults that were exposed to scabies," says Sarah Frick, senior vice president of external affairs.
The facility has been cleaned twice by a cleaning crew.
"We have taken all of the towels and laundry. They are in bags being sent away, and we are working with our staff as well as our parents, to ensure this continuous ongoing education is going on," Frick says.
The city's Department of Public Health is monitoring the situation.
