The UK Health Security Agency had previously documented 4,622 instances of scarlet fever from September to December.
Streptococcus pyogenes can stay in the throat and on the skin and, if transmitted through sneezing or physical contact, can cause a variety of infections, including impetigo, scarlet fever, and strep throat.
Scarlet Fever
High fever, severe muscle aches, localized muscle tenderness, and redness at the wound site are among the symptoms.
A UKHSA undercount of scarlet fever incidence would not have affected data on the number of invasive Strep A, which has killed 19 infants to date.
The increase in cases is placing significant pressure on NHS 111 and pharmacies, with penicillin and other antibiotics in low supply throughout the United Kingdom.
WHO reports that Strep A is circulating in high quantities in additional European nations, including France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
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Vaccine For Strep A And Scarlet Fever
Schools have asked parents to be on the watch for symptoms such as prolonged fever, cellulitis, and arthritis, and have warned that children with a history of chickenpox or influenza may be more susceptible to infection.
Concerned families have been encouraged to contact their pediatrician or dial NHS 111 if their child becomes ill or feels unwell, to keep them out of school until they recover, to practice excellent hand hygiene, and to use tissues to shield coughs and colds.
There is no vaccine for Strep A or scarlet fever, despite the fact that in the case of Strep A, several have purportedly through early-stage clinical testing, and research on the subject has been underway since the 1940s.
Antibiotics are typically the first line of defense against Strep A infections, and despite initial opposition from the government oversupply concerns, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) this week issued two waves of emergency rule changes to alleviate pressure on pharmacies with limited supplies.
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