Health authorities last night confirmed the death of a four-year-old with Strep A from Ireland just hours after news broke that two children were admitted to hospital following a scarlet fever outbreak at a primary school in Wales.
In the wake of the most recent fatality, the Health Service Executive (HSE) said it contacted schools and childcare providers with information on Strep A infections, including scarlet fever and other winter viruses.
It comes as a total of 24 children at Brynaman Primary School in Carmarthenshire have been diagnosed with the infection, while two have been taken to hospital.
Councillor Glynog Davies, cabinet member for education and Welsh language, reported that five schools across the county had scarlet fever cases.
On Wednesday, it was reported that cases of scarlet fever had soared tenfold this year amid an increase in Strep A infections.
Most recent data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows there had been around 23,000 incidents of the infection this year up until last week, compared to just 2,323 during the same period in 2021.
Scarlet fever is caused by the bacteria called group A streptococcus. Though usually a mild illness, it is highly infectious.
