England: 2015 Scarlet Fever

[Shiloh]

Source: http://outbreaknewstoday.com/englan...-last-week-more-than-1250-for-the-year-28506/


England reports 300 scarlet fever cases last week, more than 1,250 for the year
Posted by Robert Herriman on February 16, 2015

Public Health England is reporting a rise in cases of scarlet fever this year seeing nearly 1,300 cases during the first month and a half of 2015. This is nearly double

Steep increases in scarlet fever activity are being seen across the country, with over 300 cases reported last week (2 to 9 February 2015).

To date in 2015, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, London and North East have seen the most cases, all reporting greater than 100 cases during the first six weeks...

 

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Source: http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/42-...mouth-region/story-26088765-detail/story.html


42 new cases of scarlet fever in the Plymouth region
By Plymouth Herald | Posted: February 26, 2015

42 new cases of scarlet fever were reported in the South West in week eight of this year, on top of the 24 cases already reported at the start of the year...

 

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Scarlet Fever cases double in the West this as health chiefs express concern

By TristanCork | Posted: March 04, 2015

Dozens of children every week are contracting a highly-infectious form of scarlet fever, and health chiefs said they were concerned at a sharp rise in the number of cases.

There were 41 cases in the West Country alone last week, and this week the headteacher of a primary school in Yeovil confirmed four children there had be stricken with the infection.

What health chiefs said was most concerning was that last year saw the number of people in England diagnosed with scarlet fever double from the previous year ? and this year looks set to be even higher.

More people are contracting the bacterial infection now than at any time since the 1960s. Scarlet Fever was once one of Britain's biggest killers, but had been largely eradicated in the decades since thanks to antibiotics and better hygiene standards.

But in the past 18 months, scarlet fever has returned with a vengeance, and levels of the infection going into the usual 'season' for the disease in March and April are running higher than at any time in the past 50 years.

...
http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/...ealth-chiefs/story-26120783-detail/story.html

 

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Press release
[h=1]Scarlet fever: second year of high activity[/h]
Public Health England First published: 13 March 2015

Latest PHE report shows high number of scarlet fever notifications across England, with 5746 reported cases since September 2014.

Public Health England (PHE) has reported a continued substantial increase in scarlet fever notifications across England. This is the second year in a row of exceptional activity. A total of 754 new cases were reported in England last week (2 to 8 March) and 5746 since the season began in September (week 37 in 2014 to week 10 2015). This compares to 2833 cases for the same period last season.

Dr Theresa Lamagni, PHE’s head of streptococcal infection surveillance, said:

We’re continuing to see a considerable increase in the number of people diagnosed with scarlet fever across England confirming this is the second season in a row with exceptionally high numbers. Scarlet fever is a seasonal disease and this is the time of year when the highest numbers of cases are typically seen.

Given that the scarlet fever season should peak within the next few weeks, we should see a reduction in numbers soon, but in the meantime substantial numbers of people will continue to be affected. Historically, seasons of high incidence have been preceded by seasons of intermediate incidence and it remains possible that we will exceed last year’s exceptional high level of activity.

The reasons behind this increase are unclear but may reflect long-term natural cycles in disease incidence. Close monitoring, rapid and decisive response to potential outbreaks and early treatment of scarlet fever with antibiotics remains essential, especially given the potential complications associated with group A streptococcal infections.

Parents can play a key role in recognising when their child needs to be seen by their GP. Early signs to look out for are sore throat, headache and fever with the characteristic pinkish sandpapery rash appearing within a day or two, typically on the chest and stomach but then spreading to other parts of the body. Individuals who think they or their child may have scarlet fever should see their GP without delay as antibiotic treatment is needed. Symptoms usually clear up after a week and in the majority of cases remain reasonably mild providing a course of antibiotics is completed to reduce the risk of complications. As scarlet fever is highly contagious, children or adults diagnosed with scarlet fever are advised to stay at home until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid passing on the infection.

GPs as well as schools and nurseries should be mindful of the current high levels of scarlet fever and promptly inform local health protection teams if they become aware of cases, especially if more than one child is affected. PHE strongly urge schools to embed good hand hygiene practices within daily routines for pupils and staff. Children and adults should be encouraged to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough and sneeze and to wash their hands after using or disposing of tissues.​

Scarlet fever is mainly a childhood disease and is most common between the ages of 2 and 8 years. It was once a very dangerous infection, but although much less serious now, complications can arise, particularly in those who remain untreated. There is currently no vaccine for scarlet fever.

Background

Scarlet Fever notifications and rate per 100,000 population by PHE Centre in 2013 to 20114 and 2014 to 2015 (weeks 37 to 10) [TABLE="width: 619, height: 1"]
[TR]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anglia and Essex[/TD]
[TD]154[/TD]
[TD]3.7[/TD]
[TD]269[/TD]
[TD]6.4[/TD]
[TD]1.7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire[/TD]
[TD]211[/TD]
[TD]8.8[/TD]
[TD]284[/TD]
[TD]11.9[/TD]
[TD]1.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cheshire and Merseyside[/TD]
[TD]118[/TD]
[TD]4.9[/TD]
[TD]364[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]3.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cumbria and Lancashire[/TD]
[TD]116[/TD]
[TD]5.9[/TD]
[TD]259[/TD]
[TD]13.2[/TD]
[TD]2.2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Devon, Cornwall and Somerset[/TD]
[TD]105[/TD]
[TD]4.7[/TD]
[TD]156[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]1.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]East Midlands[/TD]
[TD]337[/TD]
[TD]8.7[/TD]
[TD]619[/TD]
[TD]15.9[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Greater Manchester[/TD]
[TD]181[/TD]
[TD]6.7[/TD]
[TD]309[/TD]
[TD]11.4[/TD]
[TD]1.7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kent, Surrey and Sussex[/TD]
[TD]183[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]421[/TD]
[TD]9.3[/TD]
[TD]2.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]London[/TD]
[TD]278[/TD]
[TD]3.3[/TD]
[TD]532[/TD]
[TD]6.3[/TD]
[TD]1.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]North East[/TD]
[TD]217[/TD]
[TD]8.3[/TD]
[TD]376[/TD]
[TD]14.4[/TD]
[TD]1.7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]South Midlands and Hertfordshire[/TD]
[TD]168[/TD]
[TD]6.4[/TD]
[TD]274[/TD]
[TD]10.4[/TD]
[TD]1.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Thames Valley[/TD]
[TD]158[/TD]
[TD]7.7[/TD]
[TD]260[/TD]
[TD]12.6[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Wessex[/TD]
[TD]119[/TD]
[TD]4.4[/TD]
[TD]302[/TD]
[TD]11.3[/TD]
[TD]2.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]West Midlands[/TD]
[TD]170[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]485[/TD]
[TD]8.5[/TD]
[TD]2.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Yorkshire and the Humber[/TD]
[TD]315[/TD]
[TD]5.9[/TD]
[TD]836[/TD]
[TD]15.7[/TD]
[TD]2.7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]England[/TD]
[TD]2830[/TD]
[TD]5.3[/TD]
[TD]5746[/TD]
[TD]10.7[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
...
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/s...-high-activity

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Scarlet-fever-cases-rise/story-28379209-detail/story.html


Scarlet fever cases on the rise
By Grimsby Telegraph | Posted: December 16, 2015

Scarlet fever cases are on the rise again, with 10 cases in Lincolnshire plus one in North East Lincolnshire last week alone.

The previous week, there were 13 cases of scarlet fever in Lincolnshire...

 

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HEALTH WARNING: More cases of scarlet fever revealed in Lincolnshire

By HGilbey_LE | Posted: January 11, 2016

There have been 35 suspected cases of scarlet fever reported in Lincolnshire in just over a month.
...
However, nationally health officials say there has been a significant increase in scarlet fever cases over the last two years.

They have warned that early indications for 2015/16 suggest a third season of high numbers of infections.

Around 250 cases of scarlet fever are currently being notified each week across England.

...
http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/H...ver-revealed/story-28505475-detail/story.html