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Source: https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/one-child-died-strep-infection-102000329.html
One child died from strep infection in Mecklenburg County. Cases are on the rise.
Julia Coin
Fri, June 2, 2023 at 6:20 a.m. EDT 4 min read
One child died in Mecklenburg County and another was hospitalized after getting strep infections in May, according to North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services.
Both had infections from the bacteria that causes strep throat, the state said. Infections can turn invasive and deadly when bacteria — specifically group A strep (GAS) bacteria — enters the bloodstream, the agency stated.
These invasive infections also are responsible for increased adult and children hospitalizations across the county, state and nation, according to state and U.S. date.
Once infected, there's no consistent time frame for when — or if — infections turn deadly, said Dr. Amina Ahmed, chief of pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Levine Children's Hospital. “Once it's in your throat, it's unfortunately just a matter of bad luck how it gets into your bloodstream or if it gets into your bloodstream,” Ahmed said.
The child's death in May was the first pediatric death due to an invasive GAS infection in Mecklenburg County this year, county data provided by public information officer Suzette Nedrich showed. Neither the county nor the state would say how old the child was.
There have been a total of 33 invasive infections so far this year, including five pediatric cases. Two adults also died with infections this year in Mecklenburg, county data indicated.
Last year, there were 43 total cases in Mecklenburg County, and in 2021 there were 24.
Rising strep infections in NC and Mecklenburg County
A spike in cases typically happens from October to April every year, Ahmed said.
Before last year, there were an average of 15 invasive pediatric GAS cases during that seven-month span, according to state data from the past seven years.
But since October 2022, North Carolina has seen 62 pediatric infections, state data indicated. Mecklenburg County had the most cases, accounting for nine of the state's infections.
Cases last peaked in Mecklenburg County in 2019, when 61 adults and children were infected, Nedrich said.
Statewide, there have been 468 invasive GAS cases to date, compared to 461 for all of last year, N.C. health records show. And there have been 47 deaths from invasive GAS cases in the first five months of this in North Carolina. That's more deaths than any other year in the state going back to at least 2016...
One child died from strep infection in Mecklenburg County. Cases are on the rise.
Julia Coin
Fri, June 2, 2023 at 6:20 a.m. EDT 4 min read
One child died in Mecklenburg County and another was hospitalized after getting strep infections in May, according to North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services.
Both had infections from the bacteria that causes strep throat, the state said. Infections can turn invasive and deadly when bacteria — specifically group A strep (GAS) bacteria — enters the bloodstream, the agency stated.
These invasive infections also are responsible for increased adult and children hospitalizations across the county, state and nation, according to state and U.S. date.
Once infected, there's no consistent time frame for when — or if — infections turn deadly, said Dr. Amina Ahmed, chief of pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Levine Children's Hospital. “Once it's in your throat, it's unfortunately just a matter of bad luck how it gets into your bloodstream or if it gets into your bloodstream,” Ahmed said.
The child's death in May was the first pediatric death due to an invasive GAS infection in Mecklenburg County this year, county data provided by public information officer Suzette Nedrich showed. Neither the county nor the state would say how old the child was.
There have been a total of 33 invasive infections so far this year, including five pediatric cases. Two adults also died with infections this year in Mecklenburg, county data indicated.
Last year, there were 43 total cases in Mecklenburg County, and in 2021 there were 24.
Rising strep infections in NC and Mecklenburg County
A spike in cases typically happens from October to April every year, Ahmed said.
Before last year, there were an average of 15 invasive pediatric GAS cases during that seven-month span, according to state data from the past seven years.
But since October 2022, North Carolina has seen 62 pediatric infections, state data indicated. Mecklenburg County had the most cases, accounting for nine of the state's infections.
Cases last peaked in Mecklenburg County in 2019, when 61 adults and children were infected, Nedrich said.
Statewide, there have been 468 invasive GAS cases to date, compared to 461 for all of last year, N.C. health records show. And there have been 47 deaths from invasive GAS cases in the first five months of this in North Carolina. That's more deaths than any other year in the state going back to at least 2016...