Mums have been warning other parents of the main symptoms of Strep A after their children fell ill.
Strep A bacteria can cause many different infections, ranging from minor illnesses to serious and deadly diseases.
The bacteria are commonly found in the throat and on the skin, and some people have no symptoms - but the most severe form has seen multiple children die across the UK from complications of Strep A.
Read more: Strep A in Greater Manchester - everything we know so far as death toll in children hits 16
The rise in Strep A illnesses comes as winter viruses and other seasonal sicknesses are more virulent after periods in lockdown, with one director of public health saying that paediatric units 'have never been under so much pressure'.
Mums whose children have fallen ill with it have been sharing their key symptoms in a bid to help other parents.
One of those is Sarah Hothersall, whose four-year-old son Odin became ill last week.
After a bout of sickness in the night she said he quickly went from having a slight rash on his cheek to larger red bumps on his cheek and chin and white on his tongue - which she spotted after he complained of having a sore throat.
She took him to A&E and he was given antibiotics and she believes it's only because she heard about the symptoms and acted quickly, that he's made such a swift recovery.
Sharing photos of Odin in a Facebook post, Sarah, from Lancashire, said: "It’s so scary that these were taken within hours of each other and we are lucky we got to a hospital in time.
"Look over your kids as often as possible even if they’re asleep, I’ve been so worried today I wouldn’t want anyone to pass these symptoms off as nothing hence the pictures. Fever, sore throat, coughing, sickness, diarrhoea and fatigue are also signs. Thoughts to all those with poorly children right now."
She told the Manchester Evening News: "It was my partner that heard the symptoms on the radio. He knew that a few matched Odin and told me to look him all over as the radio said the symptoms were so fast to pop up.
"I did I have an appointment already booked for 3pm, which was the earliest I could get, but when I looked him over and noticed the white tongue and that the redness had got worse I didn’t hesitate in ringing 111 and thank god I didn't.
"I wouldn’t want any parents to catch it too late. My story could have been a lot different if I hadn't have taken him straight to hospital."
Another mum, Stacey Tippins, has shared her son Teddy Smith's symptoms, highlighting that the seven-year-old also had a white tongue.
In a Facebook post that has been shared hundreds of times since last week, Stacey, from Surrey, said: "A Strep A symptom to look out for that my boy's got.
"Also headache, sickness, diarrhoea, pain/aches, fever, raised rash, runny nose, hoarse cough. As soon as you see any of those symptoms especially the puss /white spots around mouth or tonsils, get some antibiotics. Get your child checked ASAP."
A third mum Sophie Parr says she was told numerous times that her daughter's illness was 'just viral', but after her condition deteriorated she was eventually diagnosed with Strep A.
Four-year-old Georgie had a raised temperature for six days and eventually ended up in hospital.
"She wasn't drinking anything, wasn't passing urine, had tummy pain, diarrhoea, sickness," said Sophie, from Staffordshire.
"She was saying her body aches and her throat hurts and was constantly sleeping. She then got a nasty rash and we finally got antibiotics to treat this horrible infection.
"After being told numerous times ‘it’s just viral’ I’m so so thankful I stuck to my instinct and took her to get checked again as I knew something really wasn’t right.
"I was made out to be a paranoid mum but us mums know when something isn’t right and I’m so glad I didn’t leave it and we’ve caught it when we have."
The latest figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show 1,131 people in England and Wales have been infected with scarlet fever - an illness triggered by the Strep A bacteria - in the last six weeks.
In Greater Manchester, 56 cases were recorded for the week ending December 4. That include 10 cases in Oldham; 10 in Trafford; eight in Wigan; and seven each in Bolton and Manchester.
We reported earlier how parents have described getting antibiotics for sick children as 'a nightmare'.
Pharmacies are turning people away, or giving tablets to crush up instead of medicine, because they don't have commonly prescribed treatments such as penicillin and amoxicillin in stock.
However the government is so far insisting there is 'no shortage' and that 'surges for products and increased demand means some pharmacies are having difficulties obtaining certain antibiotics'.
Read more of today's top stories here
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- Can you contract Strep A twice?
- Mum's warning signs to look out for after son's Strep A was mistaken for tonsillitis
