Some pharmacies in Wales are reporting a shortage in antibiotics to treat Strep A after a rise in cases. Despite serious cases of the infection stilll being treated as very rare, a seven-year-old girl from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, is among nine children to have died in the UK from invasive Group A Streptococcal disease (iGAS).
Hanna Roap died just 24 hours after becoming ill with the bacterial infection and coming home from school with a mild cough. Her father said the whole family are "traumatised" by her death.
With the rise in cases of the contagious infection, some pharmacies have been reporting a shortage in antibiotic supply to treat it. The UK Government's health minister said that there is no issue with supply, however, acknowledged there might be a shortage in some areas while stock is moved.
Read more: Strep A symptoms, how long it's contagious for and how it spreads
As a result, the Welsh Government is advising people that they may need to visit alternative pharmacies in order to access antibiotics.
Ross Carpenter, who runs Resolven Pharmacy in Neath Port Talbot, said he was having difficulty in getting hold of the stock. He told BBC Wales: "Lots of people coming in asking questions, lots of phone calls from worried parents…. there's definitely an increase in demand of our time at the moment," he said.
"You've just got to be aware. Everybody knows their child, nobody knows your child more than yourself," added Mr Carpenter. "I think you just have to be aware when they are going downhill, when they are looking dehydrated, when they've got a sustained temperature, looking out for the rash.
"When normal measures of giving them say paracetamol and ibuprofen and they're just not responding, they're the times then we need to get them obviously to the GP then."
The symptoms of the contagious infection include a fever, a sore throat and severe muscle aches. Some people can have the bacteria present in their body without feeling unwell or showing any symptoms of infections and while they can pass it on, the risk of spread is much greater when a person is unwell. The virus spreads through close contact.
What are the symptoms of Strep A?
The types of iGAS (invasive Group A strep ) infection include bacteraemia (a bloodstream infection), necrotising fasciitis (a severe infection involving the death of areas of soft tissue) and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, which can lead to low blood pressure and multi-organ failure.
The common symptoms of iGAS infection are:
- Fever (a high temperature above 38°C)
- Sore throat or tonsillitis
- Severe muscle aches
- Localised muscle tenderness
- Redness at the site of a wound.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The increase in demand for antibiotics to treat suspected cases of Strep A has led to some pharmacies in Wales experiencing shortages of stock. We are working with the UK Government medicines supply team and other partners to make sure pharmacies in Wales have the supplies they need.
"We are confident suppliers are working to address any supply issues, should people have difficulty in obtaining their prescription they may need to visit a different pharmacy or in some cases ask their GP to prescribe an alternative treatment.”
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