Hundreds of people have contracted the skin disease scabies in a town in Sudan’s Blue Nile State, the UN reported in a weekly humanitarian bulletin.

UN-OCHA, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, cited health authorities in Wedabok as saying that around 550 cases of scabies have been reported in Wedabok hospital since 19 July.

The town in Bau locality is approximately 70 km southwest of the state capital Damazin.

“The most affected are displaced people from Kurmuk and nomad groups. A team from the state ministry of health has been deployed to the area,” reported OCHA.

Scabies is a contagious skin infection caused by mites. It spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact and infested garments and bedclothes.