Inmates Itch From Scabies Outbreak at Jail on Florida's Nature Coast

Dozens of inmates at a Citrus County jail are itching after a scabies outbreak.

Warden Russell Washburn said Friday that medical staff had been treating the outbreak for the past week. The facility is run by the Corrections Corporation of America.

The Citrus County Chronicle reports the microscopic mites burrow in the skin and lay eggs causing intense itching and a skin rash. They tend to spread quickly by contact and are common at childcare facilities and shelters.

Washburn said inmates in two of the jail's housing units were affected. He said 40 inmates received pills to treat the infestations.

All inmates were inspected and their clothing and bed linens were also washed as a precaution.

The infected inmates will be screened again in about two weeks.