The number of people suffering from scabies in Malawi’s commercial Blantyre has doubled, health authorities say.
Dr Gift Kawalazira, District health officer for Blantyre has told MIJ Online that the number of people suffering from scabies has risen from 300 to 600 between July and November this year.
Kawalazila has since attributed the rise to poor hygiene conditions.
‘’More people in the district are contacting the disease due to lack of taking care of their bodies. We are monitoring the situation in all affected areas’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the health office has advised people to rush to the hospital if they experience any signs and symptoms of scabies for the disease to be dealt with.
Scabies is an infestation of the skin by the human itch mite. The microscopic scabies mite burrows into the upper layer of the skin where it lives and lays its eggs.
The most common symptoms of scabies are intense itching and a pimple-like skin rash.