A warning has been issued to parents in the north west to keep their poorly children off school and nursery.
With most youngsters returning from the Christmas break this week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is concerned there could be a further rise in winter illnesses that are already circulating at high levels.
A rise in cases of flu and coronavirus is likely to continue to increase in coming weeks and high numbers of scarlet fever, which is caused by group A streptococcus, otherwise known as Strep A, continue to be reported.
