Strep A death toll among children in UK rises to 15

Strep A has now claimed the lives of as many as 15 children in the United Kingdom according to data released by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Thirteen children under the age of 15 have died in England since September while two other deaths have been reported in Wales and North Ireland, taking the total number to 15 in the entire UK.

On Monday (5 December), a girl student from Black Mountain Primary School in West Belfast, who was diagnosed with the disease last week, died in the case of the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

What is Strep A?

Strep A is a type of bacteria that can cause various infections that may lead to minor illnesses like scarlet fever and strep throat to deadly diseases.

While most infections caused by strep A are relatively mild, in some cases the bacteria can result in life-threatening illnesses which have caused the deaths of 15 children in UK.

Although UKHSA has said that as of now there is no evidence of a strain evolving in UK, doctors have attributed the exponential rise in cases to high amounts of circulating bacteria and increased social mixing.

Low supply of medicine

According to a report by The Guardian, pharmacists in the country have been raising complaints about shortages of antibiotics like liquid penicillin, which has been recommended for treating the disease.

Health secretary Steve Barclay has claimed that regular checks in the Department of Health and Social Care have not revealed any shortages of supply.

On the other hand, the National Pharmacy Association has disclosed “blips” in the supply chain of liquid penicillin. In addition to this, the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies has claimed that medical shops across the country are struggling to supply all the medicines that are required to treat the disease.

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