Five-year-old at Belfast elementary school is eighth illness victim

• Belfast’s fifth-grader is the ninth child to die from Strep A.
• Black Mountain Primary School wrote a message to parents.
• They sent condolences to his family and friends.

Belfast’s fifth-grader is the ninth child to die from Strep A.

Black Mountain Primary School wrote a message to parents on Friday about the P2 student’s “tragic loss” and condolences to his family and friends.

Statement: “Additional trained professionals from the Education Authority Critical Incident Response Team will help support students and staff during this difficult time.

“The school sent a letter to parents alerting them of our tragic loss and outlining support services for our students during this sad time.

We know this news may frighten parents, so we want to reassure them that we’re working closely with the Public Health Agency.

Northern Ireland’s health authorities have yet to comment.

P2 student is seventh in UK to die from Strep A.

Strep A infections are usually mild and treatable with amoxicillin. Invasive iGAS bacteria have surged this year, especially in children under 10.

Scarlet fever instances have also increased, causing sore throats, headaches, fever, and a “sandpapery” pinkish or red rash.

Clusters of scarlet fever cases were recorded in schools and nurseries in Antrim, Belfast, Bangor, and Craigavon.

This followed two years of fewer COVID-19 instances.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb told Sky News on Tuesday that Strep A-affected children could be given antibiotics.

Mr. Gibb said schools are being given “quite precise instructions” that “may entail penicillin”

Dr. Colin Brown, UKHSA deputy director, told Sky News that a “long-standing guideline” allows health protection teams to consider antibiotic prophylaxis for “a subset of children in certain classes or an entire nursery school.”

Dr. Brown said there is no evidence that circulating Strep A strains have become more severe following the deaths of nine youngsters in the UK.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic and children’s vulnerability was “pushing forward the regular scarlet fever season” to before Christmas.

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