A 5-year-old boy from Public School No. 60 in Buceo community died after being diagnosed with scarlet fever.
Chief Technical Inspector Ivonne Constantino reported, “Five confirmed cases, all in four different institutions in Montevideo”not including the dead children.
“In early October we must mourn the death of a child”Constantine said, but later in a press conference he added “Other than that, the rest of the conditions are still within the normal range of what would happen at this time of year.”
“It’s not that we have an epidemic in one of our classes or in one of our institutions,” he claimed.
News of the boy’s death at the Buceo school was first reported by Telenoche.
3 cases of Streptococcus of the same group
The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) reports that The boy was 5 years old And he was infected”Streptococcus pyogenesA bacterium that causes infections in children, adolescents, and adults that may present with severe or mild clinical manifestations, such as pharyngitis or Scarlet Fever—”
There were two other cases of strep in the same group at the school, so he believed it was an “outbreak” of these bacteria. One is Another “scarlet fever case” The other is “respiratory disease (pneumonia)”, both of which have evolved well with home isolation.
“MSP through the Department of Health Inspection (DEVISA) The outbreak has been informed and appropriate measures have been taken“We have contacted the Education Center, which has provided appropriate prevention advice and is actively monitoring the situation,” the ministry reported on its website.
How about the agreement?
The chief inspector detailed the protocols at a press conference Developed from cases involving minors.
“When detected Some children have contagious or contagious diseases. The agreement has been established. Notify the Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health immediately. All school directors and inspectors also have websites and telephone numbers answered 24 hours a day.they are notified immediately and from there they are contacted: the Ministry of Education with the schools and the inspectors,” he explained.
Constantine pointed out that the measures taken in this case were “Use hypochlorite to clean areas where children visit, classrooms, and restaurants and other public spaces.”
In addition to “disinfection”, “when a child dies, The school remained closed the next day so ventilation was available as well.
Likewise, medical services from the Central Board of Directors (Codicen) The National Authority for Public Education (ANEP) is providing advice for primary and secondary schools “They are monitoring and following up on every case,” said the inspector.
The inspector also said the ministry later provided information “Some advice has been distributed to parents.”
“If you have any symptoms of pain, sore throat, headache or fever, talk to your doctor right away as sometimes parents try to Use some medicine they have already used to reduce fever and In fact, this makes the child’s situation even more complicated. so It is recommended to consult your doctor immediately.“Constantine said.
What is scarlet fever?
Scarlet fever is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes., which can also cause pharyngitis. This bacteria causes these infections in children, teenagers, and adults.
Some of the most common symptoms of scarlet fever are:
- Throat is red and sore
- Fever (38.3°C or higher)
- Red rash with sandpaper texture
- Dark red skin in armpits, elbows, and groin creases
- A white coating on the back of your tongue or throat
- “raspberry” language
- Headache
- nausea or vomiting
- node swelling
- Other body pain
When some of these symptoms occur, it is important to Consult your doctor/pediatrician for prompt diagnosis and avoid self-medication with antibioticsreported MSP.
The group recommends the following six things to prevent strep throat and scarlet fever:
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Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and use a mask
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wash hands often
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Avoid sharing glasses, bottles, cutlery, towels and other personal items
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Ventilate the environment daily
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Clean and disinfect surfaces and toys
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avoid overcrowding