Lancashire parents urged to spot symptoms after scarlet fever outbreak
Mums and dads in Lancashire are being urged to spot the signs of scarlet fever after an outbreak across the county.
Mums and dads in Lancashire are being urged to spot the signs of scarlet fever after an outbreak across the county.
Public Health England have had almost 150 reports of the illness in Lancashire over the last six months - two of them are pupils who go to a primary school in Preston.
Here's Public Health England's advice and information on what Scarlet fever is and how you spot it:
Scarlet fever is an infectious disease which is spread through close contact with individuals carrying the organism that causes it or indirect contact with objects and surfaces contaminated with the bacterium.
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. The characteristic pinkish red sandpapery rash appears within a day or two, typically on the chest and stomach first but then spreading to other parts of the body.
If you think you or someone in your household may have scarlet fever, you should seek advice from your GP as soon as possible, as prompt antibiotic treatment is needed. Symptoms usually clear up within a week and the majority of cases get better without complications, as long as the recommended course of antibiotics is completed.
Scarlet fever is highly infectious so children or adults diagnosed with scarlet fever are advised to stay off school or work until at least 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment to avoid passing on the infection.”
Good hand hygiene – washing your hands frequently and thoroughly – is important in helping to reduce the spread of the infection, as is covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing, disposing of the tissue quickly and then washing your hands.
Scarlet fever is mainly a childhood disease and is most common between the ages of two and eight years. It was once a very dangerous infection, but is now much less serious since the introduction of antibiotic treatment, which is important to minimise the risk of complications. There is currently no vaccine for scarlet fever.
Typically, seasonal rises in scarlet fever cases have happened between December and April each winter. Unusually high numbers of scarlet fever cases were noted in 2014, which persisted into the following year’s season and then into the current season.
The reasons behind this increase are unclear, but may reflect the long-term natural cycles in disease incidence seen in many types of infection. Results of specialist testing undertaken by PHE show that the rise is not due to the emergence of a new strain of the infection and investigations into alternative reasons are ongoing.
For further information on scarlet fever visit the NHS Choices website. For the latest guidance, statistics and FAQs on scarlet fever visit PHE’s website.