A rash of cases of scarlet fever
Scarlet Fever infections rise across Greater Manchester
Scarlet Fever in Greater Manchester is on the rise with a rash of cases in recent weeks.
New figures show between December and the beginning of March there have been 300 reported new cases in Greater Manchester, that's a 6 year high.
Experts aren’t entirely sure why the disease has returned at such an alarming rate and parents are being urged to lookout for tell-tale signs of the highly-infectious disease including a sore throat, swollen tongue, headache, high temperature and a pink rash which can can itchiness.
It can be caught by coughing and sneezing, touching the rash of an infected person or even using the same towel or bed sheets
Public Health England tell us anyone can get scarlet fever, but young children are most affected. The usual course of treatment is antibiotics, which will help patients recover more quickly and lower the amount of time they are contagious for.