1P.M. Update
The Sherman County Health Department, Goodland Family Health Center, Sherman County EMS, and Sherman County Emergency Management are collaborating with Northwest Tech to effectively address a public health concern today. The Northwest Tech campus is closed until Tuesday, April 16. Faculty and staff will return Monday, April 15.
On Tuesday afternoon, a student reported a case of scabies to Northwest Tech administration and additional cases were reported at 1 p.m. MT on Wednesday. Northwest Tech administration met immediately with the Sherman County Health Department to develop a plan of action for addressing the scabies concern and preventing further cases.
The Sherman County Health Department and Northwest Tech engaged additional resources from Goodland Family Health Center, Sherman County EMS, and regional Emergency Management. All students, faculty, and staff are being checked for scabies and educated on the condition this morning in a clinic set up in the Medical Assistant building on campus.
According to the Sherman County Health Department, scabies is a contagious skin rash caused by a parasite human itch mite.
“Scabies is not a result of being unclean, everyone is equally susceptible,” explained Donna Terry, Sherman County Health Department Administrator, “Center for Disease Control does not consider scabies as a reportable disease.”
The life span of scabies mites is 48 to 72 hours without a human host; therefore, by treating those with scabies as soon as possible and closing the college for four days should prevent the mites from spreading further.
Patients can obtain treatment at either the County Health Department or the Goodland Family Health Center; however fee and financial responsibility will differ at each facility.
Symptoms can include a rash area with dry or flaking edges, which might first appear as a small blister along with extreme itching. Typically symptoms will occur one week after exposure; however may not appear for up to 21 days. Symptoms may occur between fingers, at wrist, elbow, and shoulders, between shoulder blades, around breasts, at waistline and in genital areas, at knees, ankles and feet.
Treatment is a prescription cream that is applied from head to toe after showering, left on for eight to 14 hours and then rinsed off. All clothing, bedding and other cloth surfaces such as mattresses and seats should be washed and dried at hot temperatures or vacuumed. Hard surfaces can be wiped cleaned with disinfectant wipes
12: 45 p.m. Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland is closed to students until Tuesday, April 16th because of public health concern.
The college sent out an email and posted a public notice on the school’s website and their Facebook page due to public health concerns the campus is closed until Tuesday.
According to the school they are collaborating with the Sherman County Health Department, Goodland Family Health Center, Sherman County EMS, and Regional Emergency Management to address the issue.
A student told Hays Post that they were told to check in at the school today, get a health checkup and they were to leave until the campus opened to students again on Tuesday.
Faculty and Staff will return on Monday April 15th, according to the school’s website.