Scarlet fever and group A strep (GAS) infections remain high in the UK, the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows.
So far this season (from 19 September to 1 January) there have been 35,616 notifications of scarlet fever. This compares to a total of 4,192 at the same point in the year during the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018 – although cases in that season started to rise at a different point. In 2017 to 2018 there were 30,768 scarlet fever notifications overall across the year.
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‘As children return to school, scarlet fever and ‘strep throat’ continue to circulate at high levels and so it is important that we all wash our hands regularly and thoroughly and catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue,’ said Dr Obaghe Edeghere, UKHSA incident director.
‘This will help stop germs spreading between children and to other vulnerable groups and will help prevent the spread of other winter illnesses that are currently circulating at high levels, including flu and COVID-19.’
Invasive group A strep (iGAS) infections remain rare but are currently higher than we see in a typical year. So far this season, there have been 159 iGAS cases in children aged 1 to 4 compared to 194 cases in that age group across the whole year of the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018. There have been 118 cases in children aged 5 to 9 years compared to 117 across the whole year of the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018. The majority of iGAS cases continue to be in those over 45 years.
So far this season there have been 151 deaths across all age groups in England. This figure includes 29 children under 18 in England. In the 2017 to 2018 season, there were 355 deaths in total across the season, including 27 deaths in children under 18.
‘It’s not too late to take up the free flu and COVID-19 vaccines if you’re eligible – we know that group A strep infections can be more serious when combined with another infection like flu,’ said Dr Edeghere.
‘Most winter illnesses can be managed at home and NHS.UK has information to help parents look after children with mild illness. Deaths and serious illness following group A strep infection are very rare and the infection can be easily treated with antibiotics.’