Schools have been advised to follow government guidance on scarlet fever outbreaks following the deaths of seven UK children from strep A infections.
On Monday, Colfe’s School in Lewisham, south London, confirmed that a 12-year-old pupil had died from a severe infection, known as invasive Group A strep (iGAS).
Since September, six other children under the age of 10 have died from complications after contracting the infection.
The Department for Education is yet to issue its own advice to schools, but is directing them to guidance from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a common bacteria that can cause infections such as scarlet fever and impetigo. The most serious infections linked to GAS come from iGAS.
