Tiger King star Joe Exotic claims he's been infected with scabies in prison - and so have more than 100 others
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
He has told TMZ that there’s been a huge outbreak of the painful skin condition in the Texas prison where he's serving his sentence, and he’s been infected.
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Hide AdHe alleges he’s among 300 inmates in quarantine at FMC Forth Worth and that he's one of 140 inmates with confirmed cases of scabies.
Scabies is an itchy rash caused by mites. It’s spread through close skin contact, and anyone can get it, according to the NHS. The symptoms of scabies are intense itching, especially at night and a raised rash or spots
The spots may look red. They are more difficult to see on brown or black skin, but you should be able to feel them. The scabies rash usually spreads across the whole body, apart from the head and neck. It often affects skin between the fingers, around the wrists, under the arms, and around the waist, groin and bottom.
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Hide AdExotic told the publication that there is not enough medication at the prison to treat the infected inmates. He even claims that one prisoner was infected with the condition for more than seven months and had open sores on his skin, but they were allowed to lay in bed without treatment and told to just buy over-the-counter cream from the commissary.
Exotic is serving a 21-year sentence for allegedly trying to hire two men to kill his nemesis Carole Baskin, as well as crimes against animals. He says the scabies outbreak is just one of the issues at the jail. He alleges rats have also infested the living quarters, and inmates are complaining about rats climbing on their beds at night.
A representative for the Federal Bureau of Prisons told TMZ: "A scabies outbreak has been identified in one housing unit at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas. Out of an abundance of caution, the housing unit has been placed on modified operations status and social visitation has been temporarily suspended."
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Hide AdThey went on: "FMC Fort Worth is taking the necessary precautions to protect employees, incarcerated individuals, and the community from the possibility of being exposed to this outbreak."
Scabies is not usually a serious condition, but it does need to be treated. The NHS states that the condition spreads through close skin contact, including sexual contact. Anyone can get scabies. It has nothing to do with poor hygiene.
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