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A fourth child has died in the UK after contracting strep A, as health officials issued warnings to parents and school staff about the signs and symptoms of the infection.
These include sore throat, fever and minor skin infections. In rare cases, it can become a serious illness, and anyone with fever, severe muscle aches, pain in one part of the body, and unexplained vomiting or diarrhea should seek immediate medical attention.
On Friday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that a child attending St John’s Primary School in Ealing, west London, had died of a bacterial infection, while it was also revealed that the four-year-old boy’s parents from Buckinghamshire say he died from Strep A. is
Shabana Kausar, mother of Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, who attended Oakridge School and Nursery in High Wycombe, told the Bucks Free Press: “The loss is great and nothing will replace it. He was very helpful around the house and quite adventurous, loved to explore and enjoyed jungle school, his best day was Monday and [he] Said how Monday was the best day of the week.
“He also had a very close relationship with his father. He was her best friend and went everywhere with her. He just wanted to be with her. “
A pupil at Victoria Primary School in Penarth, four miles south of Cardiff, has also died from the infection. A six-year-old boy died last week after a similar infection broke out at a school in Surrey.
Health officials are believed to have recently reported a slight increase in cases of strep A, which can cause scarlet fever, although deaths and serious complications from the infection are rare.
UKHSA’s Health Protection Consultant Dr. Yimi Chow said of the Ealing case: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of a child at St John’s Primary School and our thoughts are with his family, friends and the school community. Working with Ealing Council’s public health team, we have issued precautionary advice to the school community to help prevent further cases and we continue to monitor the situation closely.
“Group A streptococcal infections usually result in mild illness, and information is shared with parents and staff about signs and symptoms. These include sore throats, fevers and minor skin infections and can be treated with a full course of antibiotics from a GP.
“In rare cases, it can be a serious illness and anyone with fever, severe muscle aches, pain in one part of the body and unexplained vomiting or diarrhea should call NHS 111 and seek immediate medical attention.”
Group A streptococcal bacteria can cause many different infections ranging from minor illnesses to life-threatening diseases. Scarlet fever is caused by Strep A and mostly affects young children but is easily treated with antibiotics.
According to the NHS, the first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms with a high temperature, sore throat and swollen glands in the neck. A rash appears after 12 to 48 hours that starts on the chest and abdomen and then spreads. A white coating appears on the tongue, which peels off leaving the tongue red, swollen and covered in small bumps (often called “strawberry tongue”).
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