Worried about Strep A outbreak

[Beebz]

It has now been reported that a second primary aged child has now tragically died from Strep A (iGAS). This is so shocking and how completely devastating for their families, I literally cannot even imagine the hell they are going through.

Is this something new or does this happen to children in this country every year? I don't remember hearing anything like this about strep/scarlet fever in the news before? How likely is it for primary aged children to become this ill from it? Is there anything we can do to protect our DC's from contracting it? This seems incredibly serious.

Can someone advise please? Ds's temperature is 39.5 and his tongue has lots of lumpy blobs, not strawberry tongue but white lumpy bit the size of a pin. Can't get a good picture, is this something to be concerned about?

Also regarding red cheeks, he's got red cheeks but I believe that's from his temperature. I take it that with scarlet fever the cheeks are red regardless of the child's temperature?

Hey, when my dd had it over the weekend her cheeks were bright red, like so red they were almost purple in some parts. She was glowing. Then the rest of her face was white. We didn’t get to see them without a temp though, as we couldn’t get her temp down below 38, and it stuck at around 39 most of the time even with calpol.
her tounge had a white film over it. But it was the white spots at the back of her throat that really convinced the doctors something was wrong.
i didn’t actually notice them myself, I didn’t know it was a symptom, but they used a torch and a wooden stick to get a good look.
is there any way you can get a look at their throat?
we had to spend 5 hours in a&e to get her treated, it was stressful, but so worth it. I am so glad we went when we did, so she didn’t deteriorate any further. Although they were extremely busy they were really kind and took us seriously and gave her antibiotics immediately, plus an extra large dose of calpol and ibuprofen which finally brought her temp down.
she’s doing so much better now, pretty much back to normal.
I know 111 and the gps are a nigmtmare at the moment, but it might be worth just going straight to a&e and getting it sorted immediately, not sure what your home situation is though… I had to get my mil round to stay with my older dd, so I know it’s not always possible. If not maybe try sitting on hold with 111, it can take hours but you do get through. Or one of those next day virtual gp appointments you pay £40?

Hmmm my 7 year old has woken up with very sore throat. Not too unwell in himself but seems to have strawberry tongue.

15 children have died now
metro.co.uk/2022/12/08/strep-a-number-of-children-in-uk-who-have-died-rises-to-15-17904405/?ito=socialmetrouktwitter

What ?? Seriously what is going on

Exactly
Why is nobody reacting?
People were up in arms at the start of covid with far less deaths than 15 at the time.

Well dc has scarlet fever.
2 hour. 21 pharmacies later i finally got the antibiotics! Bit city all large chain pharmacies in area have none. I drove round all independent ones and called loads.
Its scary!

I really think it’s something to do with not being treated quick enough. Or some other strain . I can’t believe anything. We were told covid wouldn’t effect kids at beginning.

This feels like it's getting out of hand really quickly, it was nine yesterday, there needs to be an announcement or something and they need to consider closing schools early for the holidays, or at least giving parents the option of keeping their DC's at home, because this is terrifying.

47 adults have died too
BBC News - Strep A linked to deaths of 15 children across UK
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63903051

I agree
They hardly do any work in the run up to Christmas anyway

"The UKHSA says the last time there was a significant number of cases was in the 2017/18 season when there were 27 deaths in children under 18 from the bug in England and 328 adult deaths."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63903051

In a whole year?
We are halfway to that point with child deaths in a matter of weeks.

We also don't have a fully functioning health service or easy access to antibiotics.

Exactly
That's my biggest worry.
There were none in my town at all for my son the other day. Literally took me all day to find some.
The pharmacist said that they can't get any because their supplier has none.

God, my stomach has been in knots over this! It's not so much illness itself it's the fact that nhs care and the antibiotics that are needed are so hard to get!
Do you think any announcements will be made on this? I know I'm anxious but I can't help it!

The current death totals are since September.

I don't know how they define a 'season' - suspect it's a 'colder months' period, otherwise they would just state a single year.

This is the biggest danger at the moment. Lockdown (whether you agree with it or not) was meant to slow the spread of COVID to stop the NHS from becoming overwhelmed. But today it feels like the NHS is already overwhelmed and I can't see how it'll cope with an extra surge of Strep A/flu/COVID/whatever illness.

Exactly @GlorifiedChair that's the thing that is scaring me most really, I have never once in this country felt so anxious about my children not being able to access appropriate medical care easily, and whether closing schools during lock down was wrong or right, I really think it needs to at least be something they consider now, at least for schools with outbreaks, until the NHS has the capacity to cope.

What happened to the emergency pop up hospitals that happened last year? I feel like some of those being set up plus a major stockpile of antibiotics would be enough to reassure most parents, but panic is setting in now around here and it's all I can bloody think about every morning when sending them to school .

I've also been told by numerous people, including my close friend who has a child with Strep A, that there is almost no infection control happening at the local hospital. Children with Strep are not being isolated from those that most likely don't and are thus going to spread it to children who just have a virus or something plus loads of other people in A&E. It's a perfect storm and it just doesn't feel like enough is being done.

Best wishes @ofwarren. Can you contact his consultant/transplant hospital to request that a plan is put in place, with the relevant medicine available, in case your son does contract Strep?

Several deaths in France

“The French health authorities have alerted this Tuesday on an unusual increase for fifteen days in infections with streptococci A, bacteria in particular with the origin of scarlet fever, reported AFP. Two children and an adult died in the hospital at cause of complications from these infections, according to the General Directorate of Health. (DGS). But the situation is probably not just about these only proven cases.”