Interactive maps show the number of scarlet fever and Invasive Group A strep (iGAS) cases discovered across Greater Manchester.
It comes amid warnings about the spread of the potentially-lethal Strep A infection, which has seen at least 15 children across the country die in recent months.
The latest figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show 1,131 people in England and Wales have been infected with scarlet fever - a manifestation of Strep A infection - in the last six weeks.
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That is up from a six-week running total of 991 announced last week.
In total, between July and December, there have been 11,089 cases of scarlet fever, almost a 10-fold increase from 1,338 cases over the same period of 2021, and nearly 20 times higher than the 577 cases in 2020 - although Covid-19 restrictions had a knock-on effect of reducing the prevalence of many other contagious illnesses and infections.
Scarlet fever cases in Greater Manchester
In Greater Manchester, 56 cases were recorded for the week ending December 4. That include 10 cases in Oldham; 10 in Trafford; eight in Wigan; and seven each in Bolton and Manchester.
Strep A bacteria can cause many different infections, ranging from minor illnesses to serious and deadly diseases, including scarlet fever as well as strep throat, and the skin infection impetigo.
Scarlet fever is a contagious infection that mostly affects young children. It can begin with flu-like symptoms including a high temperature, sore throat, and swollen neck glands.
A rash then appears 12 to 48 hours later, which looks like small, raised bumps and starts on the chest and stomach, and then spreads.
It is easily treated with antibiotics, but monitoring scarlet fever levels can give health authorities an indication of how much Strep A bacteria is in circulation.
This is important because in extremely rare cases Strep A can cause invasive group A streptococcal infection or iGAS.
This happens when bacteria gets into parts of the body it is not normally found, such as the lungs or the bloodstream. Warning signs include fever and severe muscle aches.
Scarlet fever cases by Greater Manchester borough, recorded for the week ending December 4:
Bolton: 7
Bury: 3
Manchester: 7
Oldham: 10
Rochdale: 2
Salford: 3
Stockport: 4
Tameside: 2
Trafford: 10
Wigan: 9
Greater Manchester total: 56
Invasive group A strep (iGAS) cases in Greater Manchester
Reach Data Unit and Manchester Evening News analysis of UKHSA data shows 10 identified iGAS cases across Greater Manchester since mid-August. One case was recorded in Rochdale in the week ending December 4; and another in Oldham the week ending November 27.
Oldham has seen three identified cases; Manchester and Tameside two; and Rochdale, Tameside and Wigan one apiece in the period analysed since mid-August.
iGAS cases in Greater Manchester boroughs by seven-day period, ending on specified date:
Oldham: 1 - week ending November 27
Rochdale: 1 - week ending December 4
Manchester: 1 - week ending November 20
Oldham: 1 - week ending November 6
Tameside: 1 - week ending October 16
Wigan: 1 - week ending October 16
Oldham: 1 - week ending September 18
Tameside: 2 - week ending August 28
Manchester 1 - week ending August 14
'There a lots of winter bugs circulating that can make your child feel unwell, that mostly aren't cause for alarm'
Since September, the UKHSA said there have been 652 reports of invasive Strep disease, higher than at the same points over the last five years.
So far this season, there have been 85 cases in children aged one to four, compared to 194 cases in that age group across the whole of the last high season in 2017/2018. There have also been 60 cases in children aged five to nine. Since September, 60 deaths have been reported across all age groups in England.
Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of the UKHSA, said: "Scarlet fever and 'strep throat' are common childhood illnesses that can be treated easily with antibiotics.
"Very rarely, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause more serious illness called invasive Group A strep.
"We know that this is concerning for parents, but I want to stress that while we are seeing an increase in cases in children, this remains very uncommon.
"There a lots of winter bugs circulating that can make your child feel unwell, that mostly aren't cause for alarm.
"However, make sure you talk to a health professional if your child is getting worse after a bout of scarlet fever, a sore throat or respiratory infection - look out for signs such as a fever that won't go down, dehydration, extreme tiredness and difficulty breathing."
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- Can you contract Strep A twice?
- Mum's warning signs to look out for after son's Strep A was mistaken for tonsillitis
