Sixteen children are now thought to have died in the UK after contracting a suspected invasive Strep A infection.
The UKHSA confirmed on Friday that a school pupil in Sussex had died with the suspected illness, while 13 children aged under 15 have also died in England in September, as well as one child in Belfast and one child in Wales. Investigations are underway by the UKHSA amid an increase in the number of serious infections in children in recent weeks caused by an invasive form of Group A Strep.
While Group A Strep bacteria are common and usually cause mild infections that can easily be treated with antibiotics, such as a sore throat, skin infections like impetigo, or scarlet fever, in rare cases it can lead to serious illness. This is known as Invasive Group A Strep (iGAS), and occurs when the bacteria gets inside parts of the body where is isn't usually found such as the bloodstream or lungs.
