{"id":3835,"date":"2022-10-04T14:42:04","date_gmt":"2022-10-04T13:42:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sirona-cic.org.uk\/\/children-services\/?p=3835"},"modified":"2026-02-09T13:55:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:55:01","slug":"parents-encouraged-know-symptoms-scarlet-fever-due-rise-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sirona-cic.org.uk\/children-services\/parents-encouraged-know-symptoms-scarlet-fever-due-rise-cases\/","title":{"rendered":"Parents encouraged to know symptoms of scarlet fever due to rise in cases"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” bg_color=”#a63a75″ scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”right” top_padding=”3%” bottom_padding=”4%” color_overlay=”#a63a75″ overlay_strength=”1″ enable_shape_divider=”true” shape_divider_position=”bottom” shape_divider_height=”40″ bg_image_animation=”none” parallax_bg=”true” parallax_bg_speed=”medium” shape_type=”curve_opacity”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” el_class=”textleft” width=”2\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][split_line_heading]\n

Parents encouraged to know symptoms of scarlet fever due to rise in cases<\/h1>\n[\/split_line_heading][vc_raw_html]JTNDc2NyaXB0JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUlMjglMjclM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyNyUyMCUyQiUyMGRvY3VtZW50LnJlZmVycmVyJTIwJTJCJTIwJTI3JTIyJTNFUmV0dXJuJTIwdG8lMjBwcmV2aW91cyUyMHBhZ2UlM0MlMkZhJTNFJTI3JTI5JTNCJTBBJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNF[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”10″][vc_custom_heading text=”NEWS” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23ffffff” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css_animation=”fadeInUp” el_class=”sidetitle”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ font_color=”#ffffff” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”fade-in”][vc_column_text]View All<\/a><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”70″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”2\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is encouraging parents to be aware of the symptoms of scarlet fever due to an increase in cases this winter.<\/p>\n

Scarlet fever is usually a mild illness, but it is highly infectious. Symptoms include a sore\u00a0throat, headache, and fever, along with a fine, pinkish or red body rash with a sandpapery feel. On darker skin, the rash can be more difficult to detect visually but will have a sandpapery feel.<\/p>\n

Contact NHS 111 or your GP if you suspect your child has scarlet fever, because early treatment of scarlet fever with antibiotics is important to reduce the risk of complications such as pneumonia or a bloodstream infection.<\/p>\n

If your child has scarlet fever, keep them at home until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid spreading the infection to others.<\/p>\n

Scarlet fever is caused by bacteria called group A streptococci. These bacteria also cause other respiratory and skin infections such as strep throat and impetigo.<\/p>\n

In very rare occasions, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause an illness called invasive Group A strep (iGAS). While still uncommon, there has been an increase in invasive Group A strep cases this year, particularly in children under 10.<\/p>\n

There were 2.3 cases per 100,000 children aged 1 to 4 compared to an average of 0.5 in the pre-pandemic seasons (2017 to 2019) and 1.1 cases per 100,000 children aged 5 to 9 compared to the pre-pandemic average of 0.3 (2017 to 2019) at the same time of the year.<\/p>\n

So far this season there have been 5 recorded deaths within 7 days of an iGAS diagnosis in children under 10 in England. During the last high season for Group A Strep infection (2017 to 2018) there were 4 deaths in children under 10 in the equivalent period.<\/p>\n

Investigations are also underway following reports of an increase in lower respiratory tract Group A strep infections in children over the past few weeks, which have caused severe illness.<\/p>\n

Currently, there is no evidence that a new strain is circulating. The increase is most likely related to high amounts of circulating bacteria and social mixing.<\/p>\n

There are lots of viruses that cause sore throats, colds and coughs circulating. These should resolve without medical intervention. However, children can on occasion develop a bacterial infection on top of a virus and that can make them more unwell.<\/p>\n

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:<\/p>\n