Strep A figures reveal 15 children have died across the UK from infection

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Fifteen children under the age of 15 have now died in the UK from invasive Strep A illness, figures show. New data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows 13 children under 15 have died in England since September.

Two other deaths of children have been recorded in Belfast and Wales, taking the UK total to 15. Group A strep bacteria can cause many different infections, ranging from minor illnesses to deadly diseases.

Illnesses caused by Strep A include the skin infection impetigo, scarlet fever and strep throat. While the vast majority of infections are relatively mild, sometimes the bacteria cause a life-threatening illness called invasive Group A Streptococcal disease.

The UKHSA has said there is no current evidence that a new strain is circulating and the rise in cases is most likely due to high amounts of circulating bacteria and increased social mixing.