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Bird mites cleared at Lehighton high school

Lehighton Area School District is back to normal after a case of bird mites in the high school caused events to be moved or canceled this weekend.

"An isolated case of bird mites has been addressed and the high school will be running a regular schedule tomorrow," Superintendent Jonathan J. Cleaver said Sunday night."The proactive approach from the district staff and the pesticide company was able to keep the case isolated and no other areas throughout the building had any sign of additional bird mites."Cleaver said the building was completely inspected and cleared of all particles.On Friday afternoon, Lehighton High School tweeted that all weekend events at the high school were either moved to the middle school or postponed due to the discovery of bird mites in the high school.In the tweet, the high school confirmed the presence of the mites."We have a confirmation of bird mite(s) in the HS. We have contacted a Pest Control Firm & they are evaluating and addressing the situation," the tweet said.Bird mites are parasites that are found near nesting birds and will often adapt to humans or pets when baby birds leave the nests.The mites are active during the evening hours and multiply very quickly.The mites need blood, moisture, heat and carbon dioxide to thrive. Once a home or building is infested they can be difficult to eradicate.Signs of a possible bird mite infestation:• Pinprick bites with or without lesions• Frequently intense itching of the skin• Vague sensation of crawling on the skin• Bite marks and lesions that heal very slowly• An increase in symptoms at night and in humid weather• Physician suspects scabies but the treatment does not helpAccording to Birdmites.org, bird mites tend to multiply in areas where people spend a good deal of time, such as in a vehicle or near a computer.They hide in cracks and crevices and darkened areas. The mites are very small and can be difficult to see.