Scarlet fever and group A strep is usually a mild illness, but it is highly infectious.
This year, cases are higher than would normally be seen in the North West.
This means you should look out for symptoms in your child, which include
- a sore throat;
- headache, and fever
- a fine, pinkish or red body rash with a sandpapery feel.
(On darker skin the rash can be more difficult to detect visually but will have a sandpapery feel.)
If you think your child has scarlet fever, contact NHS 111 or your GP.
Early treatment with antibiotics will reduce the risk of complications such as pneumonia or a bloodstream infection.
If your child has scarlet fever, keep them at home until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid spreading the infection to others.
Link to the UK Health Security Agency 'What you need to know' page.