Scabies: cases of highly infectious skin disease spreading fast - this is what it looks like
It can take eight weeks for the scabies rash to materialise 🤒
- Scabies is an itchy rash caused by mites that burrow under the skin.
- There has been a significant increase in cases in the last three years.
- These are the signs and symptoms of scabies you shouldn’t ignore.
A skin disease, often associated with the Victorian-era, is on the rise again, with cases of Scabies reportedly rising sharply across the UK.
The latest data from the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Research and Surveillance Centre in 2024 found that scabies infection rates exceeded the five-year average, with a spike in cases in the North of England.
Recent reports have revealed that by the second week of January 2026, just under 900 cases of scabies were reported by GP surgeries across England, which is almost 20% higher than the same period last year.
Scabies is a highly infectious skin disease that can spread easily through close skin contact, causing widespread infections amongst nurseries, university halls or nursing homes.
However, the symptoms can often be mistaken for something else, with the red skin rash associated with scabies taking up to eight weeks to materialise. Here is everything you need to know about what scabies looks like.
What is scabies?
Scabies is a skin infection caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite, which burrows into the skin and causes intense itching and rashes. It is highly contagious and spreads easily through close skin contact, including sexual contact.
Once an infection is established, it can quickly take hold, affecting people throughout households, nurseries, university halls or nursing homes.
What are the symptoms of scabies?
A sign of scabies is a red, bumpy rash accompanied by a series of lines, which happens when the mites burrow into the skin and lay eggs. It usually starts between the fingers, before spreading across the body, forming an itchy, red rash.
How long does it take to get rid of scabies?
Scabies will need treatment, which is available from your local pharmacy. A pharmacist will recommend a cream or lotion that you can apply. You will need to repeat the treatment a week later, and although it kills the mites, itching can persist for a few weeks.
While you have scabies, you must take measures to prevent spreading the infection. This includes avoiding close contact with people for up to 24 hours after your first treatment, washing all household bedding at 60 °C or higher on the first day of treatment and storing all clothes that could be contaminated but cannot be washed in a sealed bag for three days to kill the mites.
Everyone in your home will also need to be treated at the same time, even if they are not showing symptoms, as it can take up to eight weeks for the scabies rash to appear.
Scabies is a highly infectious skin disease. You can find out more information about what it looks like and how to treat it at NHS.UK.