Strep A: Surge in parents at Broomfield A&E over child health concerns

An emergency ward doctor said hospitals were seeing increased numbers of worried parents after a rise in cases of strep A infections nationally.

The infection has led to nine deaths of children in the UK in recent months.

Dr Stephen Hughes, of Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, said hospitals in Essex had seen "very, very high attendances from parents who are very worried".

The NHS advised people to familiarise themselves with the symptoms.

Dr Hughes, a consultant and a senior lecturer in medicine at Anglia Ruskin University, said the rise in children being presented was "putting particular pressure on hospitals around the county and nationally".

He said he had been "briefing his team to make sure they know what they're looking out for" when presented with poorly children.

The symptoms of a strep A infection can include a sore throat, sandpaper-like skin rash, high temperature, swollen glands and muscle aches.

Medical experts said symptoms were usually mild and could be treated with antibiotics.

The bacteria could cause scarlet fever, which mostly affects young children, and could also be treated with antibiotics.

Very rarely, strep A can cause invasive group-A streptococcal infection (iGAS), which can be deadly.

Dr Hughes, who has worked in emergency services for 12 years, said: "The main message is, most sore throats, mercifully, are self-limiting viral infections."

He said parents should also look out for the tongue being coated with a red rash and children not wanting to eat which meant "medical treatment should be sought".

Dr Hughes said: "If a child is complaining of a little bit of a sore throat, but is still managing breakfast, is still managing to eat and drink, it probably isn't invasive group A strep."

Dr Krishna Ramkhelawon, Southend's director of public health, said strep A cases had presented themselves earlier than normal this winter.

The last time there was a similar outbreak was in 1718, he said.

"The level of immunity in the system is very low, there's a lot of challenges there, a lot of people getting concerned and turning up to hospital because they are concerned," said Dr Ramkhelawon.

He added that at this time of year there were a lot of respiratory illnesses and it was important to observe good hygiene, such as washing children's hands and using tissues.

Worried parents should contact their GP and the NHS 111 service in the first instance before going to hospital, he said.

Dr Ramkhelawon said there was no reason at present to introduce preventative antibiotics in schools.

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