Scabies outbreak infects multiple Sunnyvale shelter residents
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Officials in Santa Clara County ae working to stop the spread of an infectious skin condition. Doctors said earlier this month, a male unhoused resident in the North County Homeless Shelter became infected with scabies.
"Scabies is a mite. So it infects the skin. It burrows into the skin. So it can cause intense itching," said Dr. An Vo, of the Valley Homeless Healthcare Program.
Officials with Bill Wilson Center, which was awarded a one-year contract starting Jul. 1 for this 100-bed site in Sunnyvale, said they isolated the infected person.
"Our initial quarantine procedures here at the shelter are physical separation with movable partitions. Which is the first step in the process," said CEO Josh Selo.
At least two other residents, and possibly as many as four others, became infected. One staffer also tested positive for scabies.
One resident who was infected with scabies decades ago described the irritation.
"It itches a lot," said Jeff Jewell, who said he lived in his minivan prior to Bill Wilson getting the contract for the North County shelter. "They get in between your fingers and that can be pretty uncomfortable."
Shelter officials said they implemented the second phase of their quarantine protocols. They moved the infected persons to nearby motels.
Meanwhile, county medical staff treated the scabies with a topical cream.
"They apply, we give really clear instructions, to apply for eight hours and then shower after that," said Dr. Vo.
Some homeless advocates said the number of infections increased because "patient zero" wasn’t removed right away, and instead was still mingling with other people inside the shelter.
"As soon as you see somebody with pinkeye, you send them to a hotel. As soon somebody has lice, you send them to a hotel. As soon as somebody has scabies you send them to a hotel. It’s that Bill Wilson Center doesn’t know how to run a shelter," said South Bay unhoused advocate Shaunn Cartwright. Selo countered, "We needed more significant quarantine procedures. And we ended up using a motel for quarantine… We are following full procedures related to anyone presenting with scabies."
At least one member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is looking to reexamine the procedures that are in place, to be able to prevent future outbreaks.
"I really believe that they should have been sent to these motels much, much earlier, and seek medical help much, much earlier," said Otto Lee, the Dist. 3 representative.
The infected residents are continuing to recover, as does the one employee who’s home until they test negative.
Lee said he’ll make sure the infected unhoused residents can stay in the motels until they no longer pose a threat to others at this shelter.
Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on Instagram, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU
Featured
San Francisco steps up homeless encampment sweeps
San Francisco has stepped up a program to sweep homeless encampments. City leaders have been saying that plans were in the works to take more action to eliminate encampments, and on Monday crews began patrolling the streets clearing camps.