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UK health officials are advising schools on how to combat Strep A infections after the deaths of four children.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said that the figures for the disease are higher this year compared to the previous two.

The increase in cases is likely the result of the withdrawal of measures implemented during the COVID pandemic, they add.

The UKHSA advises those who come down with the illness to exclude themselves from nursery, school or work for at least 24 hours after they start antibiotic treatment.

What is Strep A – or GAS?

Strep A – or Group A streptococcus (GAS) – is a type of bacterium found in the throat and on the skin and in most people does not cause any symptoms – known as being “colonised”, the NHS says.

However, it can cause a range different illnesses of the nose, throat and lungs.

It can be spread through coughs, sneezes and skin-to-skin contact.

Those carrying the bacteria may have no symptoms, but are just as likely to pass on Strep A as those who have fallen ill.

Symptoms for Strep A include pain when swallowing, fever, swollen tonsils with white patches, swollen neck glands, a high temperature or a skin rash.

The bacteria can also cause any of the following:

  • tonsillitis
  • pharyngitis
  • scarlet fever
  • skin infections like impetigo or erysipelas
  • cellulitis
  • pneumonia

Most cases of throat infection will get better on their own without treatment. Skin infections may require antibiotics.

However, GAS can also, on occasion, cause very severe infections – known as invasive GAS (iGAS).

What is iGAS?

Invasive GAS disease happens when the bacterium gets past the body’s natural defences and enters parts of the body where it is not usually found, like through the blood, deep muscle or lungs.

The most severe forms of invasive GAS disease are Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome – symptoms of which include high fever, low blood pressure, scarlet fever, kidney or liver damage and vomiting and diarrhoea – and Necrotising Fasciitis or “flesh-eating disease”, which is an infection that causes tissue to become destroyed and requires surgery. Both of these are rare, but Toxic Shock Syndrome has a high death rate.

Treatments include different types of antibiotics, and depending on how severe the symptoms are, blood transfusions may be given.

What are the symptoms of iGAS?

Early signs and symptoms of invasive GAS include:

  • high fever
  • severe muscle aches
  • pain in one area of the body
  • redness at the site of a wound
  • vomiting or diarrhoea

How common is it in the UK?

iGAS disease is rare. There are between two and four cases per 100,000 people each year.

Ashish Joshi, Sky News health correspondent, said: “Parents need to be vigilant but not unduly concerned.

“While there is an uptick in cases, there haven’t been many over the last few years because the COVID pandemic meant there were restrictions on people’s movement.”

He added: “It is a very common bug that children and adults can pick up, although the tragedies we are aware of tells there is a higher amount of more dangerous cases affecting children in a more dangerous way.

“But we mustn’t be alarmed, and mustn’t be saying all children will become ill and some may die.

“That said, it’s important that parents, who will naturally be worried, should just be vigilant of the signs.”

Is Strep A (GAS) dangerous and am I at any increased risk of this disease?

It can be a serious illness, but if treated promptly with antibiotics, it is less of a threat. After at least 24 hours of antibiotics, it is generally thought to no longer be contagious.

People at risk of catching the infection include those who are:

  • in close contact with someone that has Strep A
  • over the age of 65
  • have HIV
  • use steroids or other drugs
  • have diabetes, heart disease or cancer

Which version of Strep A has caused the children to die?

So far, four school-age children have died.

The deaths of a child in Ealing, west London, and a child in Buckinghamshire have been confirmed as iGAS, according to the UKHSA.

It’s not yet clear if this is also true for the other two children.

One was a pupil at a primary school near Cardiff, and another was a pupil at Ashford Church of England School in Surrey.

What should you do if you have symptoms?

Contact your GP and get medical advice straight away if you believe you or your child have symptoms of either GAS or iGAS.

Strep throat should be different from a regular sore throat, as the pain can come on quickly.

In response to the latest outbreak, a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) spokesman said: “As part of our public health response to last week’s tragic news, we issued some general information about the signs and symptoms of scarlet fever, which is not uncommon, to schools in the vicinity of Ashford Primary.

“A number of other illnesses typically circulate at this time of year and parents, school and nursery staff are advised to be aware of the symptoms, to keep up with vaccinations and to seek advice from NHS 111 if they have concerns.”

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Brixham: People remain scared to drink tap water as things slowly return to normal after parasite disease outbreak

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Brixham: People remain scared to drink tap water as things slowly return to normal after parasite disease outbreak

“I’m never drinking tap water again,” Kayley Lewis says.

“My symptoms have made me lose a stone in two weeks.”

Ms Lewis and her two children have been suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps for over a fortnight – since South West Water found small traces of the parasite cryptosporidium in the Hillhead reservoir.

“I can’t trust them [South West Water] again.

“I might start using tap water for dishes… but definitely never to drink. Ever.

“I’ve been completely put off now… especially because of how poorly it makes you feel.

“I just don’t think I could ever try and risk going back to that.”

Pic: PA
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A bottled water collection point in Devon. Pic: PA

At least 46 people are confirmed to have the disease, while as many as 70 other cases of diarrhoea and vomiting are also under investigation, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.

South West Water (SWW) has repeatedly apologised – telling Sky News today that they are working “around the clock” to get all households back to using safe water again.

This could be as early as this Wednesday, drought and resilience director at SWW David Harris told me.

“We’re looking at somewhere between mid to late next week before we’ll be in a position to be able to responsibly lift that boil water notice.”

David Harris said it could be a couple of weeks before the boil water notice
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David Harris said it could be a couple of weeks before the boil water notice is lifted

So far, 14,500 households in the Alston supply area can drink their tap water without boiling it first – as advised by SWW.

However, some 2,500 homes in Hillhead, upper parts of Brixham and Kingswear have been told to continue boiling – and cooling – their water supplies before drinking it.

Steve Price, who runs the Station Guest House B&B near Brixham, said he lost a couple of thousand pounds in bookings due to – understandably – paranoid customers.

“Losses we anticipate are roughly around £2000 from people that have cancelled and directly stated that the cancellation was due to the water situation.

“So we would anticipate that at the bare minimum as compensation.”

Read more
Contamination ‘shouldn’t have happened’, SWW boss says
Water firm apologises after parasite detected in reservoir
Parasite outbreak has ‘destroyed’ business, residents say

Kayley Lewis has been drinking bottled water since the disease outbreak
Image:
Kayley Lewis has been drinking bottled water since the disease outbreak

Mr Price has spent the afternoon emptying the B&B’s water tanks in order to minimise the risk to his guests.

“In terms of money – we’re just flushing it away!

“A couple of hundred pounds worth. But this supply feeds the showers, sinks and bathrooms.

“It needs to be completely emptied and cleaned to avoid risks”.

Mr Price’s business isn’t the only one suffering.

It’s a bleak picture across the neighbouring towns.

This time of year Brixham is usually buzzing with holidaymakers – especially by the harbour side.

The past week, however, has been another story.

“It’s a ghost town”, Sally Tollon, an employee at a local chippy tells me.

“We’re really quiet… you can see it’s empty, because people are frightened to come down because of the water situation.

“On average we make a thousand pounds a day. Yesterday we did half of that.”

Sally Tollon's says the fish and chip shop where she works is losing money
Image:
Sally Tollon says the fish and chip shop where she works is losing money

Despite things slowly getting back to normal, people are scared.

They have lost faith and trust in a water supply – one woman told me – they had “always taken for granted”.

It’s clear rebuilding the community’s trust and confidence in their water supplier will take some time in the coming weeks and months.

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Infected Blood Inquiry: Family of scandal victim Peter Lloyd hoping for closure after ‘years of cover-ups and lies’

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Infected Blood Inquiry: Family of scandal victim Peter Lloyd hoping for closure after 'years of cover-ups and lies'

At every step through the Infected Blood Inquiry, he has been in his family’s hearts and minds.

Just like every other bereaved family carrying the memories of loved ones throughout their long fight for justice.

“The way I feel… I don’t feel like my brother can rest until we all rest,” Peter Lloyd’s sister Sarah told Sky News.

Mr Lloyd was the second of seven siblings.

He joined the RAF and loved serving his country. He became a chief technician and was posted to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

However, it was a car crash in the UK in July 1985 that caused him to suffer horrendous injuries.

He had a blood transfusion in hospital that he and his family believed had saved his life. That may have been true, but it also, years later, led to his death.

From left: Five of Peter Lloyd's siblings - Martha Charalambous, Mary Lovell, Helene Hall, Sally Martin and Louise Huxley. Pic: PA
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From left: Five of Peter Lloyd’s siblings – Martha Charalambous, Mary Lovell, Helene Hall, Sally Martin and Louise Huxley. Pic: PA

Mr Lloyd died in 2008. Pic: PA
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Peter Lloyd died in 2008. Pic: PA

He was only told more than a decade after the transfusion that he’d received contaminated blood. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C shortly after.

Mr Lloyd later developed bowel and liver cancer and died aged 55 in 2008.

‘It tears your life apart’

His family’s mission since then has been to help ensure the whole scandal of contaminated blood transfusions is fully understood.

Images of those affected by the contaminated blood scandal are displayed during a vigil to remember the victims on Sunday. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Images of those affected by the scandal displayed during a vigil on Sunday to remember them. Pic: Reuters


His sister Sarah Martin, 66, told Sky News that compensation should be paid, but that it can’t put right the wrongs: “I’d rather have my brother, I’d rather not have any money.

“He’s gone – they have taken him through reckless blood transfusions.

“It’s just heartbreaking it tears your life apart.”

Read more:
Boy, 7, was ‘used in secret trials before HIV infection’
The boys secretly experimented on at school

Peter Lloyd's family are still fighting for justice
Image:
Peter Lloyd’s family are still fighting for justice

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Mr Lloyd’s youngest sister Louise Huxley, 57, added: “It shouldn’t be like this – it shouldn’t be this hard.

“We’re finally coming to the end of this saga and we are hopeful that we will finally get justice and closure.”

Infected blood inquiry Sky News promo image

“If the prime minister does speak about the final report on Monday I hope there is sincerity,” she added.

“There’s been years of cover ups, lies and injustice – we just want it to end.”

The final report from the six-year public inquiry will be published in London on Monday.

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Boy, 14, dies and another boy, 13, in critical condition after entering River Tyne

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Boy, 14, dies and another boy, 13, in critical condition after entering River Tyne

A 14-year-old boy has died and a 13-year-old boy is in a critical condition after getting into difficulty in the River Tyne.

Emergency teams launched a large rescue operation yesterday afternoon after receiving reports two boys had got into trouble in the water near Ovingham, Northumberland.

One of the boys, aged 13, was rescued from the river and taken to hospital, where he remains “in a critical condition”, Northumbria Police said in a statement on Sunday morning.

Ovingham Bridge on the River Tyne which connects Ovingham with Prudhoe. Pic: Google Streetview
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Ovingham Bridge on the River Tyne connects Ovingham with Prudhoe. Pic: Google Street View

Police cordon set up near Prudhoe, across the River Tyne from Ovingham
Image:
Police cordon set up near Prudhoe, across the River Tyne from Ovingham

A huge search, which involved the police, ambulance, fire and mountain rescue services, then continued as crews raced to find the second boy.

“Sadly, the 14-year-old’s body was later found in the water and he was pronounced dead at the scene,” police said.

Police cordon set up near Prudhoe, across the river from Ovingham
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A police cordon was set up across a footpath near Prudhoe, across the River Tyne from Ovingham

Chief Superintendent Helena Barron, of Northumbria Police, said it was an “absolutely tragic incident”.

She added: “Our thoughts are with the families of both boys at this difficult time as we continue to support them.

“A number of agencies were involved in the incident and their support was hugely appreciated.

“It is with great sadness that we could not provide a more positive update.”

Police said the parents of both boys are being supported by specially-trained officers.

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