Dr Jimmy Chow from the UK’s Health Protection Agency said advice has been given to prevent the spread of the potentially dangerous bacteria to school officials.
London Thanasis Gavos
Four-year-old Muhammad Ibrahim Ali has become the fourth child to die in Britain in the space of a few weeks from complications following an infection caused by group A strep.
The death of the little boy was announced by his kindergarten in High Wycombe, in the English county of Buckinghamshire.
Earlier on Friday, the death of another student was announced in Ealing, west London.
It was preceded last Friday by the death of seven-year-old Hannah Roap in Cardiff, Wales, and another child in Ashford, County Surrey.
The deaths of the four children come amid reports of cases of scarlet fever caused by group A streptococcus in schools across the country. The bacterium also causes throat infections and, in rare cases, like those of the four students, an aggressive infection.
Dr Jimmy Chow from the UK Health Protection Agency said advice has been given to prevent the spread of the potentially dangerous bacteria to school officials in areas where infections have been reported.
He stressed that group A strep infections usually cause mild illness, with symptoms such as sore throat, fever and rashes. These infections can be treated with antibiotics.
“In rare cases it can cause serious illness and anyone with a high fever, severe muscle aches, pain in one area of the body and unexplained diarrhea or vomiting should contact the NHS and seek medical help immediately,” he added. Dr. Chow.
The Health Protection Agency has also confirmed that there are more cases of group A strep infection this year compared to the previous two years, likely due to pandemic containment measures in previous years.
Health authorities are expected to issue a warning about the outbreak of the bacterium, announcing in detail the symptoms that parents and teachers should watch out for.
Group A streptococcus is spread by coughing, sneezing and contact.
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