A fourth child has died in the UK after contracting Strep A, as health officials issued warnings to parents and school staff about signs and symptoms of infection.
These include a sore throat, fever and minor skin infections. In rare incidences, it can become a severe illness, and anyone with high fever, severe muscle aches, pain in one area of the body and unexplained vomiting or diarrhoea should seek urgent medical help.
On Friday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that a child who attended St John’s primary school in Ealing, west London, had died from the bacterial infection, while it also emerged that the parents of a four-year-old boy from Buckinghamshire have said he has died from Strep A.
Shabana Kousar, the mother of Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, who attended the Oakridge school and nursery in High Wycombe, told the Bucks Free Press: “The loss is great and nothing will replace that. He was very helpful around the house and quite adventurous, he loved exploring and enjoyed the forest school, his best day was a Monday and [he] said how Monday was the best day of the week.
“He also had a very close bond with his dad. He was his best friend and went everywhere with him. He just wanted to be with him.”
A pupil from Victoria primary school in Penarth, four miles south of Cardiff, has also died from the infection. A six-year-old died last week after an outbreak of the same infection at a school in Surrey.
Health officials are understood to have reported a slight rise recently in cases of Strep A, which can cause scarlet fever, although deaths and serious complications from the infection are rare.
Dr Yimmy Chow, a health protection consultant at UKHSA, said of the Ealing case: “We are extremely saddened to hear about the death of a child at St John’s primary school, and our thoughts are with their family, friends and the school community. Working with Ealing council public health team, we have provided precautionary advice to the school community to help prevent further cases and we continue to monitor the situation closely.
“Group A streptococcal infections usually result in mild illness, and information has been shared with parents and staff about the signs and symptoms. These include a sore throat, fever and minor skin infections and can be treated with a full course of antibiotics from the GP.
“In rare incidences, it can be a severe illness and anyone with high fever, severe muscle aches, pain in one area of the body and unexplained vomiting or diarrhoea should call NHS 111 and seek medical help immediately.”
Group A streptococcal bacteria can cause many different infections, ranging from minor illnesses to deadly diseases. Scarlet fever is caused by Strep A and mostly affects young children but is easily treated with antibiotics.
According to the NHS, the first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms including a high temperature, sore throat and swollen neck glands. A rash appears 12 to 48 hours later that starts on the chest and stomach and then spreads. A white coating appears on the tongue, which peels, leaving the tongue red, swollen and covered in small bumps (often called “strawberry tongue”).
