Nottinghamshire's NHS board has told parents to trust their instincts on contacting a doctor if they think their child has Strep A. Nine children across the UK are now known to have died after contracting invasive Strep A, known as iGAS, and cases are rising. None of the nine cases are thought to be linked to Nottinghamshire.
The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has now issued advice to parents on the symptoms to look out for in their children and on when they should call the NHS.
Group A streptococcus (GAS) is carried by many people in their throats and on their skin but the invasive group causes infections by getting into parts of the body such as the lungs. The UK Health Security Agency says that an iGAS infection becoming fatal is "rare" but as cases continue to rise across the country. Nottinghamshire's NHS team are now warning parents that they should be vigilant.
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The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB said: "Parents know when their child is not themselves, so if you think your child is poorly and getting worse, trust your instincts & contact NHS 111 or your GP. Cases of invasive Group A Strep are rare, but parents should be aware of what to look out for. If you think your child is seriously unwell, call 999 or go to A&E."
The ICB also shared key information from the UKHSA in terms of the key symptoms to look out for. The UKHSA says that parents should always call 999 or go to A&E if their child is having breathing difficulties, or if their are pauses in their breathing, if their skin, lips or tongue are blue and if they will not wake up or stay awake.
The agency also says parents should be aware of sepsis-like symptoms such as blotchy skin, a rash that doesn't fade when you roll a glass over it and a high-pitched cry. The UKSA adds: "Currently, there is no evidence that a new strain is circulating. The increase is most likely related to high amounts of circulating bacteria.
"It isn't possible to say for certain what is causing higher than usual rates of these infections. There is likely a combination of factors, including increased social mixing compared to the previous years as well as increases in other respiratory viruses."
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