Preventative antibiotics could be given to children at schools affected by Strep A infections, the schools minister has confirmed. Nick Gibb told GB News the issue was raised in the House of Lords on Monday and the use of antibiotics is an option.
It comes as the total number of fatalities from invasive Strep A infection has risen to nine since September. A five-year-old girl is the latest child to have died after becoming severely ill last week. They were being treated at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
Updated guidance on scarlet fever outbreaks, which are caused by Strep A , published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in October sets out how antibiotics can be used as prophylaxis but a decision is taken with local outbreak control teams (OCTs) on “ a case-by-case basis”.
