Multiple people infected by scabies outbreak at Sunnyvale homeless shelter

The contagious skin condition is caused by a human itch mite and spread through close contact.

Four people have been infected by a recent scabies outbreak at a Sunnyvale homeless shelter, authorities reported.

The outbreak first surfaced last week when an unhoused resident at the North County Homeless Shelter exhibited signs of the contagious skin condition, which is caused by itch mites and can result in scabbing and itching.

Josh Selo, chief executive officer of the Bill Wilson Center, a Santa Clara County nonprofit which operates the shelter, said staff activated the shelter’s quarantine procedures, including physically separating the infected resident from others with partitions. When it became clear that more residents were exhibiting symptoms, they were removed from North County and housed at a nearby motel. As of Tuesday, two other shelter residents and a staff member have been infected, Selo said.

Center staff and doctors with the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s Valley Homeless Healthcare Program (VHHP) are attending to the residents’ needs, Selo said.

“We’re doing our best at this time to support our residents,” he said. “And working in partner with the VHHP to provide the necessary treatments for the conditions.”

Scabies is spread through close skin-to-skin contact between the infected person and other individuals, according to Dr. Sara Jeevanjee, medical director of VHHP. The condition can also spread through contact with clothes and bedding of an infected person. Treatment includes applying a topical cream on the skin and leaving it for eight to 10 hours before showering, Jeevanjee said.

“One of the things that is important, and challenging, is that they also need to make sure to wash all clothing and bedding on high heat to get rid of the presence of the mite,” she said.

Such outbreaks are frequently found in congregated settings, like homeless shelters, but also in schools or jails. A scabies outbreak has happened before in the county. In 2019, four bus drivers with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority were reportedly infected. The VTA had to disinfect and temporarily shut down 12 buses to prevent further spreading

The Sunnyvale outbreak comes a month after the center inherited North County from Milpitas-based HomeFirst, one of the county’s largest homeless providers. In the past few months, HomeFirst has faced allegations of racism and discrimination against Black residents and shelter employees, prompting the organization to step down.

The 140-bed facility currently has around 50 to 60 adult residents and is funded by Santa Clara County. The center is in the midst of renovating the shelter to accommodate families with children.