More than two dozen suspected cases of a rare infection have been identified in England and Wales in the last week - as medics continue to monitor an out-of-season rise in Strep A. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed there have been 94 deaths from iGAS (Invasive Group A Streptococcus) infections across England between September 12 and December 18, including 21 children under the age of 18.
This is a rare, but severe and sometimes life-threatening infection caused when Strep A bacteria invade parts of the body it is not normally found such as the lungs or the bloodstream. Warning signs include fever and severe muscle aches. Such infections are notifiable conditions that are tracked on a weekly basis by the UKHSA, along with diseases including tuberculosis and Legionnaires' Disease, as well as other illnesses caused by Strep A bacteria, such as scarlet fever.
When GPs diagnose a suspected case of a Strep A infection they are required to notify the UKHSA and infections are then logged in weekly NOIDS (Notification of Infectious Diseases) reports. The latest NOIDs report, for the week ending December 18, shows that doctors have identified 25 potential cases of invasive group A streptococcal disease in the past week - the highest number during a single week so far this year.
