ANOTHER child has died of group Strep A, with experts warning parents to be vigilant.
It brings the death toll of children to have died with the illness to 16.
GettyExperts have urged parents to be on the lookout for signs and symptoms[/caption]
FacebookThe 12-year-old was a pupil at Hove Park School in Brighton[/caption]
It comes after the a Government report yesterday stated that 15 children had died in the outbreak since September.
The deaths include that of five-year-old Stella-Lily McCorkindale in Belfast and seven-year-old Hanna Roap in Wales.
The 12-year-old youngster was a pupil at Hove Park School in Nevill Road.
Specialists from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Brighton and Hove City Council are working with the school to provide advice on all necessary public health actions and that accurate information is shared with the school community.
Group A Streptococcus — Streptococcus pyogenes — is a bacteria that can cause mild illness.
This can include sore throats and skin infections, alongside tonsillitis, cellulitis, and scarlet fever, which is flu-like and tends to occur in children – it can be serious if not treated swiftly with antibiotics.
In rare cases, the bacteria can trigger invasive Group Strep A disease, which can prove life-threatening and even fatal.
UKHSA said that in the 2017/18 season, which is deemed to be the last high Strep A season, there were 355 deaths in total, including that of 27 children.
There have been 169 kids that have also contracted invasive Group Strep A (iGAS) this season, this compares to 431 that developed it in 2017/18.
And there were 851 cases of Group A streptococci in the week to November 20, compared to 186 on average in the same week in previous years.
The signs of Strep A you need to know
There are four key signs of Group Strep A to watch out for, according to the NHS. These are:
A fever (meaning a high temperature above 38°C)
Severe muscle aches
Localised muscle tenderness
Redness at the site of a wound
While most cases are mild, the bacteria can sometimes get into the bloodstream and cause Group A strep.
There has been an increase in cases this year, particularly in children under the age of 10.
Dr Rachael Hornigold, consultant in health protection at UKHSA South East, said: “We are extremely saddened to hear about the death of a young child, and our thoughts are with their family, friends and the local community.
“Infection with Group A Streptococcus bacterium usually causes a sore throat, scarlet fever or skin rash and is passed by physical contact or through droplets from sneezing or coughing. In very rare cases, the infection can become invasive and enter parts of the body where bacteria aren’t normally found, which can be serious.
“We will implement public health actions including advice to the city council and school community.”
Alistair Hill, director of public health at Brighton and Hove City Council said they are working with the UKHSA and the school following the most recent death.
“We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and the whole school community who will all be deeply affected by the very tragic loss of this young child, and we are providing our support to them at this incredibly sad time. While we cannot comment on individual cases, we ask that the privacy of the family is respected
“As a precaution, we have also been working closely with the school to raise awareness amongst parents and carers of the signs and symptoms of Group A Streptococcal infections, and what to do if a child develops these, including invasive Group A Streptococcal disease (iGAS).
“I would stress that contracting iGAS disease from another person is very rare. Most people who come into contact with Group A Streptococcal infections remain well and symptom-free – and therefore there is no reason for children to be kept home if well. However, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell please contact NHS 111.”
Hove Park School, the UKHSA and the University Hospital Sussex NHS Foundation Trust were approached for comment.