All routine procedures at Belfast’s paediatric hospital have been postponed after an increase in children presenting with bacterial and viral infections.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children said the hospital is experiencing “very significant pressures” with 227 children attending its emergency department on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, we have taken the very difficult decision to postpone all routine procedures at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children to allow our staff to care for those children with serious or time critical illness at this time.
“We appreciate how difficult this will be for families and children and we apologise for the distress this may cause.”
It comes as health authorities confirmed that nine children in the UK have died of invasive Strep A in recent weeks, with cases higher than normal.
Stella-Lily McCorkindale, 5, died in Belfast from an illness linked to strep A on Monday. She was treated at the Belfast hospital after she became severely ill last week.
Strep A bacteria can cause many different infections, ranging from minor illnesses to serious and deadly diseases. They include scarlet fever, strep throat and the skin infection impetigo.
While the vast majority of Strep A infections are relatively mild, sometimes the bacteria cause serious and life-threatening invasive Group A Streptococcal disease.
Dr Ray Nethercott, a consultant paedatrician, told the BBC that postponing procedures would help the hospital “use the resources available to them in the best way they can”.
"It's either that or wait for a further escalation,” he added.
In other developments, Health Secretary Steve Barclay on Wednesday denied that there was a shortage of antibiotics needed to treat Strep A infections. It came after The Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, which represents around 4,000 pharmacies, said many were struggling to source all they need.
Mr Barclay told GB News: “We’re in very close contact with our medical suppliers. They’re under a duty to notify us if there are supply shortages. They have not done so as yet.”
He also told Sky News: “I checked with the team last night – we have an established team in the department that does this on a permanent basis – and they reassured me we have good supply.”
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) officials have suggested that a lack of mixing due to the Covid pandemic plus susceptibility in children are probably “bringing forward the normal scarlet fever season” from spring to this side of Christmas.
Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of the UKHSA, suggested on Tuesday that the strains are not more severe, adding: “There isn’t something that is particularly new or novel about the bacteria that are causing the infections that we’re seeing at the moment.”
