The Health Secretary has confirmed the government are in 'close contact' with medical suppliers over the outbreak of Strep A.
A five-year-old girl has become the latest child to die with the infection - taking the total deaths from the infection to nine since September.
It comes after the deaths of Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, 4, in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and Hanna Roap, 7, in Penarth, Wales. A 12-year-old student from Lewisham, London has also died, their school confirmed, while a six-year-old died in Ashford, Surrey in late November.
READ MORE: Mum's warning signs to look out for after son's Strep A was mistaken for tonsillitis
The UKHSA said that in the week ending November 20, there were 851 cases of Strep A reported. Those figures are compared to an average of 186 in preceding years - an increase of 357.5pc.
As the number of cases continues to surge, Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said that the Department of Health and Social Care are 'not aware of any shortages' of antibiotics used to treat Step A and are in 'close contact' with suppliers.
He told Times Radio: "Medicine manufacturers are required to notify us if there are supply issues and we have not been notified by them of that.
"Now, of course, if issues arise with a particular GP, we have well-established procedures in terms of moving stock around between our wholesale depots and where there’s been a surge in demand. In terms of wider supplies, we’ve had very close contacts with the manufacturers.
"We have a dedicated team permanently in the department who does this day in, day out, and they’ve reassured me – I checked with them again last night knowing that as coming out on the media this morning – and they said they’re not aware of any shortages, but sometimes obviously you get the peaks of demand in a particular area and stock has moved around accordingly."
Speaking to GB News, the health secretary added: "Clearly we keep this under constant review. We have a team within the department that is always looking at medical supplies and these issues.
"Of course, it’s important that people are vigilant in terms of the concerns with Strep A. If they have concerns about a child that is ill, there’s some very clear guidance on the NHS website."
A rare alert warning parents of the signs to look for was issued by the agency. Anyone who believes their child is suffering with the illness is advised to contact NHS 111 or their GP immediately.
The symptoms include a sore throat, headache, and fever, along with a 'fine, pinkish or red body rash with a sandpapery feel'. On darker skin, the rash can be more difficult to detect visually but will have a sandpapery feel.
Read more about the signs and symptoms parents have been told to look out for here.
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