Four more children in England have died from invasive Strep A, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed.
New figures released from the UKHSA today (Thursday, December 29) show at least 25 children under the age of 18 have now died due to the virus.
There have been 151 cases of invasive Strep A in children aged one to four so far this season, compared to 194 cases in that age group across the whole year of the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018, the Mirror reports.
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There have been 102 cases in children aged five to nine years, compared to 117 across 2017 to 2018. Across all age groups, there have been 122 deaths in England.
In the 2017 to 2018 season, there were 355 deaths in total across the season, including 27 deaths in children.
Dr Obaghe Edeghere, UKHSA incident director, said: "We are continuing to see a rise in scarlet fever and ‘strep throat’ and this is understandably concerning for parents. However I would stress that the condition can be easily treated with antibiotics and it is very rare that a child will go on to become more seriously ill.
"Over the winter, there are lots of illnesses circulating that can make children unwell and so it is important to avoid contact with other people if you are feeling unwell, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly and catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue.
"I would also urge all those eligible for free winter vaccines to take advantage of these. Most winter illnesses can be managed at home and NHS.UK has information to help parents look after children with mild illness.
"However please do make sure you speak to a healthcare professional if you believe your child is getting worse for instance they are feeding or eating less than normal, are dehydrated, has a high temperature that won’t go down, is very hot and sweaty or seems more tired or irritable than normal."
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