Victorian-era disease misdiagnosed as eczema sweeps UK schools - 'Very contagious and spreads quickly'

A London-based consultant dermatologist, Dr Firas Al-Niaimi, believes the rise in infections is partly due to people mistaking the condition for other skin problems or receiving late diagnoses, allowing the highly contagious disease to spread unchecked among young people.

"Patients might not present to their GP because they think it is just eczema," Dr Al-Niaimi explained, highlighting how this confusion allows infected individuals to remain highly contagious for extended periods without knowing it.

"Scabies is very contagious and spreads very quickly, so it needs to be caught early to limit infections," he warned.

The condition manifests as an itchy, red rash with crusty and flaky patches, resulting from microscopic mites that burrow beneath the skin to lay eggs.

It typically appears on elbows, knees, feet and hands, particularly between fingers and around wrists - symptoms that closely mirror those of eczema, psoriasis and food allergies.

Reports have emerged of five schools in Torbay, Devon, allegedly closing due to scabies cases, though local authorities have disputed these claims.

Three schools - Torquay Boys' Grammar School, Torquay Academy and an unnamed primary school - have confirmed they remain open despite rumours circulating on social media.

A Torbay Council spokesperson stated: "We are aware of a small number of scabies cases in the area, but scabies is not a condition that needs to be reported to health authorities. No schools in Torbay have closed because of this."

The infection has spread beyond Devon, with London experiencing increased cases late last year alongside outbreaks in care homes, nursing homes and university halls across the North of England.

Cornwall has also reported cases at a local college.

Dr Donald Grant, a GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, explained that several factors are fuelling transmission rates.

"This time of year is ideal for scabies to quickly spread throughout communities, with children returning to school and university kicking off, meaning close contact in shared spaces is common," he noted.

He added that the condition is frequently mistaken for eczema or allergic reactions, meaning "people can go weeks without proper treatment, increasing the likelihood of increased spread or reinfection in busy households".

The UK Health Security Agency responded to the outbreak in April by adding oral ivermectin to approved treatments, urging healthcare professionals to treat cases immediately rather than waiting for organised mass treatment campaigns.