Parents were warned about things to watch out for their children after scarlet fever, a deadly disease that swept through Britain in the Victorian era, swept through the country.
New figures have just been released showing that scarlet fever cases have increased by almost 70% in just a few weeks. According to the UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA), nearly 450 people may have been infected with the virus in the week ending 19 November.
The figures come from doctors referring suspected cases to local authorities or health protection teams. There were 446 referrals of suspected scarlet fever between 12 and 19 November, compared with 267 referrals in the week to 15 October just six weeks ago. However, while case numbers have risen steadily since September, they still appear to be lower than last year.
The disease is caused by Group A Streptococcus bacteria. It was more popular during the Victorian era, when it was much more lethal. Anyone can become infected, but older and younger people are more likely to be affected. In rare cases, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause a fatal, aggressive disease called iGAS.
Group A strep cases emerged last winter and peaked in December, leading to a severe shortage of antibiotics. During this period, a total of 426 people died from iGAS in England, including 48 children.
There have been 2,050 cases of scarlet fever so far this season, slightly lower than usual for this time of year. UKHSA epidemiologist Dr Theresa Lamagni said: “Scarlet fever and invasive group A strep are currently at low levels but are starting to rise slightly, in line with what we would normally see at this time of year.
“The number of cases is lower than this time last year and well below the high levels seen in December.”
The southeastern region has the highest number of scarlet fever cases, with 62 cases reported. The Isle of Wight has the highest number of cases, with four, followed by Crawley, Windsor and Maidenhead, with three each. Next came London and Wales, where doctors referred 57 and 54 suspected cases respectively.
There are 51 cases in the East Midlands, 50 in Yorkshire and the Humber, 44 in the West Midlands and 32 in the North West. The southwest and northeast reported the fewest suspected infections, with 31 and 18 cases respectively.
Scarlet fever cases by region:
- Southeast-62
- London-57
- Wales – 54
- East Midlands – 51
- Yorkshire and Humber – 51
- West Midlands – 44
- Southwest-31
- Northeast-18
Full list of symptoms:
- sore throat
- Skin infections, including blisters or impetigo
- A large, itchy pink or red rash on the skin (after flu-like symptoms develop)
- Headache
- At high temperature
- cheeks flushed
- swollen tongue
- swollen glands in the neck
- Loss of appetite
- nausea or vomiting
- Red lines appearing in body folds (such as armpits), which may last for several days after the rash disappears
- White moss on the tongue that falls off after a few days, making the tongue red and swollen (this is called strawberry tongue)
What to do if you suspect your child has scarlet fever:
* If your child develops bacterial symptoms, make an appointment with their local GP. If confirmed, the patient will be prescribed a course of liquid antibiotics to be taken for ten days.
Symptoms usually resolve within two weeks, but complications of scarlet fever may occur. There is a small risk of the infection spreading to other parts of the body, causing ear infections, sinusitis, or pneumonia.
If you develop headache, vomiting or diarrhea after the initial scarlet fever symptoms have passed, it is recommended that you see your GP as soon as possible.