BC Disease Centre Reports Four Children Have Died from Strep A in the Past Month

There have been four deaths of children under 10 who had streptococcal infections since mid-December, and this is seen as part of a larger increase in such infections, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.

A bulletin from the centre, the Provincial Health Services Authority, and BC Children’s Hospital notes that there has been a three-fold increase in invasive group A streptococcal infections in people under 20 based on 2023 data.

The bulletin states that there were 60 cases last year, which is three times higher than the previous year, which had reported five deaths in children under 10 for the whole year.

The centre reports that in all four recent deaths, the children also had the flu or other viruses alongside the strep infection.

Although the bacteria that causes the infection typically causes mild infections, it can become more dangerous when the bacteria invades the lungs, the blood, or spreads along muscle tissue.

The centre and BC Children’s Hospital advises families to be aware of symptoms including fever lasting for more than five days for children of any age, a rash, swollen tongue, struggling to breathe, or a child who becomes very sick, very quickly.

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Three of the deaths were previously reported to have occurred in December, and were said to have been linked to the flu.