More than two dozen suspected cases of a rare infection have been identified in England and Wales in the last week - as medics continue to monitor an out-of-season rise in Strep A. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed there have been 94 deaths from iGAS (Invasive Group A Streptococcus) infections across England between September 12 and December 18, including 21 children under the age of 18.
This is a rare, but severe and sometimes life-threatening infection caused when Strep A bacteria invade parts of the body it is not normally found such as the lungs or the bloodstream. Warning signs include fever and severe muscle aches. Such infections are notifiable conditions that are tracked on a weekly basis by the UKHSA, along with diseases including tuberculosis and Legionnaires' Disease, as well as other illnesses caused by Strep A bacteria, such as scarlet fever.
When GPs diagnose a suspected case of a Strep A infection they are required to notify the UKHSA and infections are then logged in weekly NOIDS (Notification of Infectious Diseases) reports. The latest NOIDs report, for the week ending December 18, shows that doctors have identified 25 potential cases of invasive group A streptococcal disease in the past week - the highest number during a single week so far this year.
These are separate from lab-confirmed reports which are used to inform overall totals and may include data from other sources. According to the latest lab-confirmed figures, there have been 960 cases of iGAS in England since September.
The UKHSA says the number of Strep A infections identified is unusually high for the time of year. In most years, the high point comes from February to April. Over 52 weeks In 2017-18, the last time there were comparatively high figures, there were a total of 2,967 cases.
The most recent figures showing cases since September include 214 children under the age of 10. That compares to 311 cases among children under the age of 10 across the full 2017-18 season. Meanwhile, between September 12 and December 18 this year, there have been 27,486 notifications of scarlet fever, a manifestation of Strep A infection. That compares to 3,287 at the same point in 2017-18 - although cases began to rise at a different point that year and there were a total of 30,768 scarlet fever notifications overall across the year.
Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of the UKHSA, said: “Scarlet fever and ‘strep throat’ will make children feel unwell, but can be easily treated with antibiotics. Symptoms to look out for include fever, sore throat, swollen glands, difficulty swallowing, and headache. Scarlet fever causes a sandpapery rash on the body and a swollen tongue. NHS services are under huge pressure this winter, but please visit NHS.UK, contact 111 online or your GP surgery if your child has symptoms of scarlet fever or ‘strep throat’ so they can be assessed for treatment.
“At this time of year, there are lots of winter illnesses circulating that can make children unwell. Most of these can be managed at home and NHS.UK has information to help parents look after children with mild illness. It is very rare that a child will go on to become more seriously ill, but as parents you know better than anyone else what your child is usually like, so you'll know when they are not responding as they would normally. Make sure you speak to a healthcare professional if your child is getting worse after a bout of scarlet fever, a sore throat or respiratory infection – look out for signs such as a fever that won’t go down, dehydration, extreme tiredness, intense muscle pains, difficulty breathing or breathing very fast.”
