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England’s chief pharmaceutical officer has admitted that local pharmacies may be short of some antibiotics to treat strep infections.
But David Webb also said that nationally, there were “adequate” stocks as he sought to reassure parents worried about the current outbreak.
Pharmacists have complained of shortages of antibiotics, including the liquid version of penicillin, which is often given to children.
Mr Webb’s comments come as the number of young people aged under 15 who have died after contracting strep A in the UK has risen to 15, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
New data for England shows the death toll has risen to 13 since September.
Two other deaths were reported in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Illnesses caused by strep A include scarlet fever, strep throat, and skin infections.
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‘Very worrying’: Parents over penicillin shortage
Although most infections are mild, the bacteria can develop into a life-threatening disease called invasive group A streptococcal disease.
The National Pharmacy Association has pointed to “blips” in the supply chain for liquid penicillin, while the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies said pharmacists are struggling to get hold of all they need.
Pharmacy director Zeshan Rahmani criticized the health department for being “out of touch” after that Proposed proposals to give antibiotics to children in schools to prevent illnesses including strep A – tells Sky News: “There are no medicines. Today, we couldn’t get any penicillin in stock.”
But NHS England’s chief pharmaceutical officer, David Webb, said: “Local pharmacy teams may experience temporary disruptions in the supply of some relevant antibiotics as demand increases. Nationally, sufficient stock exists for the NHS.”
read more:
‘Close schools and keep them closed until after Christmas’ – parents worried as cases rise
Find out how many serious infections and scarlet fever cases there are in your area
What is strep and what are the symptoms of a bacterial infection?
A Department of Health spokeswoman said there was no “supplier shortage” of antibiotics to treat strep A, but admitted there were “occasionally backlogs of products – and increased demand means some pharmacies are having difficulties getting certain antibiotics”.
A statement added: “We are working urgently with manufacturers and wholesalers to find out what can be done to speed up deliveries and bring stock forward to help ensure they get to where they need it, meeting demand as quickly as possible. To do and support access to essential medicines.”
There is no evidence of a new strain
Since September, UKHS said there have been 652 reports of an aggressive form of the disease, more than the same period in the past five years.
In the current season of Strep a infection, 85 cases have been reported in children between the ages of one and four.
That compares to 194 infections in that age group in the last high season in 2017/2018.
60 cases have also been reported among children aged five to nine years. Since September, England has recorded 60 deaths across all age groups.
The UKHSA added that infections are thought to be due to greater amounts of bacteria and increased social mixing.
The agency said there is no current evidence that a new strain is circulating.
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Strep A: Drug supply is ‘patchy’
UKHSA Deputy Director Dr. “There are a lot of winter bugs floating around that can make your baby uncomfortable, which most likely aren’t cause for alarm,” said Colin Brown.
“However, be sure to talk to a health professional if your child is getting worse after a scarlet fever, sore throat or respiratory infection – watch for signs such as a fever that doesn’t go down, dehydration, extreme tiredness, and difficulty breathing. .”
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