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Streptococcus A – or Group A Strep (GAS) – is a bacterial infection of the throat or skin, which usually occurs in the winter months.
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Health officials in the UK are warning parents to be vigilant after a recent outbreak of strep A infections killed at least six children.
The UK’s Health Security Agency issued a rare health warning on Friday urging parents to monitor their children for symptoms of the illness, which can include sore throats, headaches, fevers and body rashes.
At least six children have died from severe cases of the infection since September, health agencies said, while reported cases are 4.5 times the amount seen in recent years.
What is a strap?
Streptococcus A – or Group A Strep (GAS) – is a bacterial infection of the throat or skin that usually occurs during the winter months.
While most cases are mild and often go unnoticed, it can lead to more serious illness and complications, such as scarlet fever.
Scarlet fever is a highly contagious bacterial infection that mostly affects young children. It usually causes flu-like symptoms and a fine, sandpaper-like rash, which can usually be treated with antibiotics.
However, on rare occasions, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause an illness called invasive group A strep (iGAS).
These serious infections can be fatal, and are thought to be the cause of a recent spate of deaths.
Make sure you talk to a health professional if your child shows signs of getting worse after having scarlet fever.
Dr Colin Brown
Deputy Director, UKHSA
Health officials have therefore urged parents to be alert for warning signs of aggressive illness, including temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
UKHSA Deputy Director Dr. “It’s important that parents are on the lookout for symptoms and see a doctor as quickly as possible so their child can be treated and we can prevent the infection from becoming serious,” said Colin Brown.
“Make sure you talk to a health professional if your child shows signs of worsening after a scarlet fever, sore throat or respiratory infection,” he added.
Cases have increased after covid
According to the UKHSA, there have been five deaths among children under 10 in England. The sixth death was reported by Public Health Wales at a Welsh primary school (primary school).
A further death of a 12-year-old London schoolboy was reported on Saturday, but has not yet been confirmed.
Typically, one or two children under the age of 10 die as a result of strep A during a winter in the UK.
In the week to 20 November, 851 cases of scarlet fever were reported in the UK, compared to an average of 186 in previous years.
Health officials have said there is currently no evidence that a new strain is circulating. The increase is instead related to higher amounts of circulating bacteria and social mixing after the end of Covid-19 restrictions.
UKHSA Chief Medical Adviser Dr. “(We) need to recognize that the measures we’ve taken over the last few years to reduce the circulation of Covid will also reduce other infections,” Susan Hopkins told BBC Radio 4’s Today program on Monday.
“That means, as things get back to normal, these traditional infections that we’ve seen for many years can spread at great levels,” she added.
The latest outbreak has led to an increase in other illnesses this year, including monkeypox and a mysterious liver disease affecting children.
Some medics are concerned about the impact of the latest outbreak on the UK’s already struggling National Health Service.
“The last thing we want is for A&E departments to be flooded with a new influx of worried parents,” Neena Modi, professor of neonatal medicine at Imperial College London, told the Guardian.
The UKHSA said worried parents in the UK should contact NHS 111 or their local GP in the first instance if they notice early symptoms in their children, while more severe cases should contact 999 or visit A&E.
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