Parents of children with Strep A who have died or are battling for their lives have told others to act immediately if they spot any symptoms.
Cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi urged parents to look out for signs of streptococcus A which has been linked to the deaths of seven children in recent weeks.
The latest fatality to emerge was on Saturday when it was reported a 12-year-old school pupil from south London had died after catching the winter bug.
A four-year-old girl remains on a ventilator at a hospital in Liverpool after being infected, with experts saying the number of cases is higher than previous weeks.
Several children have died with Strep A in the last week including Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, four, from High Wycombe, Hanna Roap, seven, from Penarth in Wales, a six-year-old child from Ashford in Surrey and a primary-school aged child from north Ealing, London.
Hanna Roap's dad has shared his daughter's first symptoms after the young girl contracted Strep A and died.
Hassan Roap told how his daughter came home from school on November 24 with a mild cough, which rapidly worsened and she died the following day.
The infection is usually mild, with the below symptoms ranging from a sore throat , tonsillitis or scarlet fever. But some patients become more seriously ill.
Strep A can cause various health issues, including impetigo, strep throat and scarlet fever.
Most cases are relatively mild, but the bacteria can also lead to the life-threatening illness called invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) disease.
Symptoms include a sore throat, fever and minor skin infections which can be treated with antibiotics in most cases.
Anyone with severe muscle aches, high fever, unexplained vomiting, diarrhoea, or pain in one area of the body should seek urgent medical help.
Group A Strep disease can be treated with antibiotics while surgery may be needed in severe cases, the NHS states.
Early treatment for scarlet fever with antibiotics is important to reduce the risk of complications including a bloodstream infection or pneumonia, according to Gov.uk.
Parents of children with scarlet fever are advised to keep them at home at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid the infection from spreading.
Symptoms
- Sore throat
- High fever
- Severe muscle aches
- Minor skin infections
- Unexplained vomiting
Diarrhoea
Pain in one area of the body
Key illnesses linked to Strep A and what to look out for:
Streptococcal sore throat
- fever and chills
- vomiting and abdominal pain
- a red sore throat with thick pus-like fluid near the tonsil area
- tender lymph nodes around the neck that are enlarged
Scarlet fever
- swollen throat
- a bright red tongue, known as strawberry tongue
- paleness around the mouth
- a pink or red rash across the stomach, side of the chest and in the skin folds. This can itch, often looks like bad sunburn and can feel like sandpaper to touch
Impetigo
- blisters, typically around the mouth, nose and legs
- fever
- swollen lymph nodes in severe cases
There were 851 cases of scarlet fever reported in the week of the 14 to the 20 November, compared to an average of 186 for the preceding years.
Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of UKHSA, said: "We are seeing a higher number of cases of Group A strep this year than usual."
