The HSE are investigating whether the death of a four-year-old child is linked to Strep A.
Speaking to RTÉ's News at One, Dr Eamonn O'Moore, Director for National Health Protection, HSE/HPSC, said that the bacterial infection is one of a number of conditions that are being considered as factor in the child's death.
He said: "This is still being considered actively, so as I speak to you we haven't confirmed that, it is subject to further laboratory investigation."
Read more: Girl, 5, dies from reported case of Strep A in Northern Ireland
"But it is reasonable to say it is among the differential diagnoses at this time," he added.
Dr O'Moore said the child's death happened in Public Health Group 'Area A’ which covers the northeast of the country and north Dublin. He said they hope to learn more over the course of today but "will take our time and due diligence in ensuring we get the correct diagnosis."
Dr O'Moore said there have been 55 confirmed cases to date of invasive Group A Streptococcal disease (Strep A) in Ireland, 16 of which occurred in children. He confirmed that two people with the illness have died, both of which were older people.
A five-year-old girl with a reported Strep A infection died in Belfast on Monday night. The young girl became unwell last week and was take to Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
The schoolgirl attended Black Mountain Primary School in Belfast. Parents at the school received a letter last week saying one student had been diagnosed with a severe form of Strep A.
Eight other children have died from Strep A in Britain since September and the UK Health Security Agency issued a rare alert last week due to the rise in cases of the infection amongst children.
Dr Scott Walkin from the Irish College of GPs has said that while the illness usually causes little more than a sore throat, parents should be vigilant if their child presents with additional signs of the disease. Parents should watch out for the following:
- Persistent fever that doesn’t respond to paracetamol
- Drowsiness
- Floppiness of the limbs
- Reluctance to drink
- Inability to pass urine
If a child presents with any of these symptoms, parents should bring them to a doctor.
Dr Walkin told RTE’ s Morning Ireland: “10 to 15 percent of people will have it in the back of their noses and throats. It doesn’t necessarily cause any problems but if it gets into the wrong place in the body, it can be very troublesome.”
He added: “Sometimes it can spread elsewhere and it can cause pneumonia or sepsis, if it spreads to the lungs or blood stream. It’s a terrible illness for the individual it does affect like that.”
Strep A is not a virus, however it is highly contagious and can be transmitted in similar ways to illnesses such as Covid-19 and flu. Strep spreads through airborne droplets after people sneeze, cough or share food with one another.
Read more:
- How long will snow and ice last in Ireland? Arctic airmass to extend Dublin cold snap
- Cold and flu symptoms may be caused by cockroaches as Dublin accounts for 44% of callouts
- Car smashes into Dublin traffic lights with two people rushed to hospital
Hazel Kaneswaran says it’s a 'conundrum' to doctors that her 'miracle' son is still alive
40,000 phone chargers urgently recalled in Ireland due to 'serious risk' of electric shock
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
