UK- 2019 Essex Strep A outbreak:

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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-48748881

Essex Strep A outbreak: Twelve people dead
By Julian Sturdy BBC Look East
1 hour ago

Twelve people have died in a "very serious" outbreak of a rare contagious bacterial strain, it has emerged.

Thirty-two people across Essex have been infected with the invasive Group A streptococcal (iGAS) infection.

Public Health England (PHE) warned there was a "high risk" of further fatalities from the "ongoing outbreak".

It began in Braintree but cases have been found around Chelmsford and Maldon, a Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) report said.

Most of those affected are "elderly and had been receiving care for chronic wounds in the community and care homes", the report said.

Dr Jorg Hoffman, deputy director of health protection for PHE East of England, described it as "a very serious situation".

He said: "This is still an ongoing outbreak. Unfortunately we have so far not been able to fully contain the situation...

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Source: https://www.braintreeandwithamtimes....postcode-only/

6 hrs ago
Strep A outbreak: Nurses in Braintree ordered to work in CM7 postcode only
By Alex Gidden

NURSES working in the Braintree area have been ordered not to treat anyone outside the same postcode following the outbreak of a potentially deadly bacterial infection.

Members of the Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) met for the first time today since it was revealed 12 people living in Braintree, Maldon and Chelmsford had died after contracting Invasive Group A Streptococcal.

The infection is a bacteria that can be found in the throat and on the skin which can become deadly if it enters the body and organs such as muscles, lungs, or even the bloodstream.

A total of 32 cases have been recorded in mid Essex so far, with the majority of people affected said to be elderly who were being treated for chronic wounds in the community...

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Source: https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/essex-ho...eath-1-6139560

Health officials confirm 13th death following Strep A outbreak
PUBLISHED: 10:39 03 July 2019 | UPDATED: 10:48 03 July 2019
Will Jefford

An update by Mid Essex CCG who are investigating the outbreak, confirmed that the total number of cases of the potentially life threatening Group A streptococcus (iGAS) now totals 34 after a further two people were diagnosed with the disease.

One patient is being treated but the other has died from sepsis related to the infection.

A statement from the CCG said: "As part of the ongoing iGAS outbreak in mid Essex, NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group can confirm that a further patient has been diagnosed with iGAS and is currently being treated.

"An additional case has been added to the total outbreak count...

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Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...-rises-13.html

Death toll from the Strep A outbreak in Essex rises to 13 as health chiefs battle to contain the bacterial infection

A total of 35 people have now been infected with the bloodstream infection
Nurses working in Braintree have been prevented from working in other areas
The infection is spreading among elderly people receiving nursing care
They all have long-term flesh wounds through which bacteria can enter blood

By Sam Blanchard Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 06:25 EDT, 25 July 2019 | Updated: 06:49 EDT, 25 July 2019

A 13th person has died in a bacterial infection outbreak in Essex, the NHS has confirmed.

The patient was the latest of a cluster of deaths caused by invasive Group A streptococcus infection (iGAS), of which an outbreak was revealed in June.

A total of 35 people are thought to have developed the life-threatening infection, caused by a potent strain of the common strep A bacteria.

Mid-Essex Clinical Commissioning Group, the NHS board for the area, said 31 of the iGAS cases have been lab-confirmed and the remaining four are suspected.

Older people with long-term flesh wounds are the ones being affected by the infection, which can get into the blood through broken skin.

Nurses working in Braintree, the centre of the outbreak, have been given antibiotics as a precaution and prevented from working in other areas to stop the spread...

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Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) outbreak in mid and west Essex

on 10 September 2019.

Latest update ? 10 September 2019

This brief provides an update on the invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) outbreak in mid and west Essex.

Following regular communications with the patients and their families affected by this outbreak, we have been informed that a patient in mid Essex who had previously been treated for iGAS earlier in the year has sadly died. Our thoughts are with their family.

We are reporting this retrospectively having completed investigations to conclude that their death is linked to this outbreak. To protect patient confidentiality we are unable to confirm when they had iGAS or when they passed away.

This means that of the 37 people affected by iGAS, 33 are confirmed as part of this outbreak and four are probable cases. Fourteen people have sadly died.

Background:

Those affected within this iGAS outbreak are older people in Braintree District and the neighbouring area in West Essex, Chelmsford City and Maldon District. The majority of patients were receiving treatment for wounds, with some in care homes but most in their own homes.

Earlier in July 2019, Public Health England undertook Whole Genome Sequencing to investigate differences and similarities in the DNA sequence of the iGAS bacteria collected from patients within the mid Essex outbreak. This method allows Public Health England to check which iGAS cases are genetically linked and which are not. This is done by analysing the DNA sequence of each bacterial sample.

The Whole Genome Sequencing confirmed that the single case of iGAS in Basildon in 2018 and single case of iGAS in Southend in February 2019, previously thought to be part of the mid Essex outbreak, are not. These two cases appear to be isolated cases of iGAS that can arise in the community and have now been removed from the outbreak investigation. Since the two cases in west Essex were identified, samples from these cases were analysed using Whole Genome Sequencing to check if they were part of this outbreak and this process has confirmed that they are linked to the outbreak in mid Essex.
...

https://midessexccg.nhs.uk/news/1057-group-a-streptococcus-outbreak-in-mid-essex

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Source: https://midessexccg.nhs.uk/news/1057...k-in-mid-essex
Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) outbreak in mid and west Essex

on 01 October 2019.










Save

Latest update – 1 October 2019

This update provides the latest information on the invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) outbreak in mid and west Essex.

Since the last update, the Incident Management team has learned of two additional, historical cases which will remain probable and date back to the end of 2018. They were identified following a thorough review of all iGAS cases on laboratory databases, using patient data from Provide Community Interest Company, who provide the majority of our community services in mid Essex. Sadly one of these patients died in 2018.

The review was conducted by Public Health England to make sure all cases of iGAS dating back 18 months had been investigated for a potential link to the outbreak in mid Essex. The two additional patients, including the patient who sadly died, are both from mid Essex and were receiving treatment for wounds in their own home or in a care home.

Therefore the total number of people affected by the iGAS outbreak is 39, with 33 cases confirmed as part of this outbreak and six probable cases. Fifteen people have sadly died. Our thoughts are with the families of those patients who have passed away...

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Source: https://www.essexlive.news/news/esse...hs-mid-3794414
Essex Strep A deaths: NHS Mid Essex CCG confirm no new cases of deadly bacteria
A total of 15 people have died from the outbreak
ByElliot Hawkins
20:03, 30 JAN 2020

The NHS Mid Essex CCG has confirmed there have been no new confirmed cases of the deadly Strep A bacteria.

As of October 2019, 15 people had died as a result of the iGAS outbreak across the county and a total of 39 people had been affected.

But the decision has now been made to step down the Incident Management Team as well as some of the control measures that have been in place since March 2019 with no new cases for three months.

The CCG has confirmed that all organisations involved in managing the outbreak will remain vigilant in the coming months and will continue to assess the situation as the control measures are carefully reviewed and downgraded...