Five more children in England have now died from an invasive form of Strep A, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has sadly confirmed.
The latest figures released by the UKHSA today, Thursday December 22, show that 21 children under 18 have now died with invasive Group A Strep (iGAS) infections in England since September, up from 16 children this time last week on Thursday December 15. There have now been 94 deaths across all age groups from such infections in England.
New data shows that there have been 27,486 cases of scarlet fever across the UK in the period running from September 12 to December 18, one of the infections caused by Group A Strep bacteria. This is compared to a total of 3,287 cases during the same timeframe last year, and is a significant jump from the 7,750 cases recorded a week ago on December 15.
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According to the UKHSA, this season there have so far been 126 cases of invasive Group A Strep in children aged one to four, and 88 cases in children aged five to nine, with the majority of cases continuing to be in people aged 45 and over. But the Government has reiterated that invasive Group A Strep remains rare.
Common symptoms of a Strep A infection include flu-like signs such as a high temperature, swollen glands and an aching body, a sore throat which can indicate strep throat or tonsillitis, or a rough sandpaper-like rash that is a tell-tale symptom of scarlet fever. While Strep A bacteria causes a range of infections that are usually mild and can be easily treated with antibiotics, in rare cases when it becomes invasive by getting into places where it is not usually found, such as the bloodstream or lungs, it can cause serious illness.
Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of the UKHSA, said: "I understand how this large rise in scarlet fever and ‘strep throat’ may be concerning to parents, however the condition can be easily treated with antibiotics and it is very rare that a child will go on to become more seriously ill. At this time of year, there are lots of winter illnesses circulating that can make children unwell and I would urge all those eligible for free winter vaccines to take advantage of these.
"Most winter illnesses can be managed at home and NHS.UK has information to help parents look after children with mild illness. NHS services are under huge pressure this winter, but please visit NHS.UK, contact 111 online or your GP surgery if your child has symptoms of scarlet fever or ‘strep throat’ so they can be assessed for treatment."
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