Parents warned to watch out for 3 Victorian disease symptoms after cases emerge in children

PARENTS have been warned to watch out for three key symptoms of a rising Victorian disease.

Scarlet fever has led to unusually large outbreaks in recent years.

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Although modern medicine has drastically improved outcomes, it was once a leading cause of death in children in the 19th century.

In recent weeks, the UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA) has been keeping a close eye on infection rates, which are highest in the North West of England.

Between September 2021 and March 2022, a total of 914 reports of scarlet fever were reported in the region.

While this is in line with expectations for this time of year, it is significantly higher than last year.

Covid lockdowns prevented bugs from spreading, meaning more people are now vulnerable to infection.

The UKHSA continued to write Twitter this week: “Scarlet fever is usually a mild disease but can be serious if left untreated.

“It is highly contagious and mostly affects young children.

“We remind parents of the symptoms of scarlet fever and what to do.”

The health department warned parents about the three first signs of scarlet fever:

• A high temperature
• Sore throat and swollen cervical glands
• A bumpy, rough rash usually appears on the chest and abdomen after 12 to 48 hours.

UKHSA said if your child is showing these signs you should contact your GP or NHS 111.

Your child may initially appear as if they have the flu, with a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or more.

Other symptoms include a white coating on the tongue that peels off a few days after it appears, leaving the tongue red and swollen, known as “strawberry tongue”.

Children should be kept away from school or daycare for 24 hours after their first antibiotic.

The same goes for working adults who may have caught the virus and shouldn’t be in the office.

Antibiotics are necessary to recover from scarlet fever and reduce the risk of serious illnesses like pneumonia.

Even at home, you can help relieve symptoms by drinking cold fluids, eating soft foods, and taking pain relievers and antihistamines.

Thanks to antibiotics, scarlet fever is less common than it used to be and easier to treat.

Occasionally, however, the bacteria (group A streptococci) can cause serious and life-threatening illnesses.

There is a risk that it can develop into liver, heart or kidney damage, meningitis, pneumonia and more.