Atibaia authorities respond to scabies outbreak at local school

The municipal government of Atibaia, Brazil, has launched an integrated response between the Health and Education Secretariats to manage cases of scabies at the EMEF Prefeito Walter Engrácia de Oliveira. The outbreak has resulted in the temporary removal of 51 students from in-person activities, including 12 with medical certificates and 39 identified through active search efforts. Additionally, 20 school staff members have been prophylactically removed from duties following suspected exposure.

The school is scheduled to close for thorough cleaning and disinfection of its facilities. Epidemiological and sanitary surveillance teams have visited the site to assess environmental conditions and provide guidance on hygiene and cleaning protocols. Community health agents are also conducting home visits to affected families to identify new cases and reinforce treatment instructions.

Local authorities noted that the affected students represent approximately 0.3% of the 16,300 students enrolled in Atibaia’s municipal school system. Scabies is a contagious skin infection caused by microscopic mites, primarily transmitted through prolonged direct contact or sharing contaminated clothing and linens.