GGDs are trying to contain the current scabies wave in various ways, but that does not seem to work well. For example, the number of cases has only increased further in recent weeks in several regions.
This is evident from figures from knowledge institute Nivel, which is based on figures from general practitioners. For example, just under 36 cases of scabies per 100,000 inhabitants were reported in the Groningen region three weeks ago. Last week that had risen to more than 66 cases.
In the Amsterdam region, the number of people with the skin condition rose from about 52 per 100,000 inhabitants to 75 last week. In addition, GPs in the Gooi and Vecht region reported just under 85 cases per 100,000 inhabitants last week, where three weeks ago there were less than 52.
When asked why the number of cases of scabies is relatively high in these three regions in particular, the services answer differently. For example, the GGD Amsterdam believes that it may be related to factors “such as a large city, many students and tourists and many people who live close to each other or share a house”.
The GGD Gooi en Vechtstreek states that students often still have their GP in the place where their parents live. “That could be an explanation for us that there is a bit more scab.”
Treatments must be consistent
The Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG) also points out that students regularly live in one house, each with a different GP. While it is precisely the treatments for scabies that must be synchronized to be successful, according to a spokesperson.
That is why, according to the NHG, “coordination is desirable” in those cases. The general practitioners’ association refers to the GGDs for this. “Outbreak control and surveillance of infectious diseases are tasks that do not belong to the general practitioner’s tasks, but are assigned to the GGD.”
In the hope of curbing the scabies wave, the GGD Groningen is spreading information about the infectious disease via social media. Other GGDs do this as well. The umbrella organization GGD GHOR Nederland distributes information in student houses, among other things.