A family have paid tribute to their "darling" boy who died from an invasive form of Strep A. Jax Albert Jefferys' parents say they sought medical help three times before he was admitted to hospital and that they were initially told he had flu, The Mirror reports.
Since September, 15 children in the UK have died following invasive Strep A infections, according to figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The agency says the bacteria usually leads to just mild illness, but in "very rare occasions" it can get into the blood stream and case "very serious" infections.
Jax's heartbroken family said in a statement: "Our darling son Jax Albert Jefferys sadly passed away at the age of five on the 1st December. Only after his death was it confirmed that the cause was the Strep A virus.
READ MORE: Nottinghamshire NHS tell parents to 'trust their instincts' over Strep A illness
"We had sought medical advice on three occasions during the four days leading up to his death and told that he was suffering with influenza A. We then followed the recommended course of action; to administer a proprietary paracetamol based medication in the prescribed dosage.
"On the fourth day Jax's condition deteriorated so much that we rushed him to hospital and by 10 o'clock on the Thursday evening of the 1st December he had passed away. We would dearly like to express our deepest thanks to all the hospital staff who did their utmost to save Jax. We sincerely ask that people respect our privacy at this time as we try to come to terms with our loss."
Jax was a pupil at Morelands Primary School in Hampshire. Headteacher Alison Syred-Payl said in a statement: "Very tragically, we have learned of the death in recent days of a child who attended our school, who was also diagnosed with an invasive Group A Streptococcal (iGAS) infection.
"We are absolutely devastated by the loss of one of our young pupils. We offer our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the child's family at this extremely sad time."
She added: "We ask that the privacy of the family is respected. We are working closely with public health authorities to ensure that the family, our pupils and staff receive support.
"As a precaution, we have also been raising awareness amongst parents, carers and our school community of the signs and symptoms of Group A Streptococcal (iGAS) infections, and what to do if a child develops these, including invasive Group A Streptococcal (iGAS) infection."
Other children to have recently died from Strep A include Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, 4, in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and Hanna Roap, 7, in Penarth, Wales. A 12-year-old student from Lewisham, London, has also died, as well as a six-year-old from Ashford in Surrey.
Experts at the UKHSA fear a lack of immunity to infections since the Covid-19 pandemic is worsening the spread of the infection now social distancing rules are no longer in force. Strep A bacteria normally only cause mild illness, but can lead to diseases such as scarlet fever, strep throat, and the life-threatening invasive Group A Streptococcal disease.
There is no evidence that a new strain is circulating and the rise in cases is more likely to do with the large amounts of circulating bacteria amid increased social mixing, the UKHSA says.
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