Strep A: Royal Belfast children's hospital postpones routine procedures

The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children has postponed each regular procedures owed to the pressures caused by a emergence successful bacterial and viral infections.

The Belfast Trust said it was facing "significant pressures" with 214 children attending its A&E connected Tuesday.

Stella-Lily McCorkindale became severely sick past week and was treated astatine the hospital.

The spot said each facet of the attraction she received was being cautiously reviewed.

Cases of strep A and scarlet fever are higher than accustomed astir the UK.

The spot said postponing regular procedures had been a hard determination but it would let unit to attraction for children with superior oregon time-critical illnesses.

"We admit however hard this volition beryllium for families and children and we apologise for the distress this whitethorn cause," a spokesperson said.

On Wednesday 8 procedures were postponed, portion 12 went up arsenic planned.

The spot said it would beryllium a akin signifier implicit the coming days, with immoderate procedures going up if unit were available.

Examples of procedures that mightiness beryllium postponed see paediatric country and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) procedures.

Consultant paediatrician Dr Ray Nethercott said postponing procedures was a disappointing but indispensable step.

"It's either that oregon hold for a further escalation.

"We are seeing a marked upturn successful the fig of viral and bacterial infections.

"This is simply a comparatively communal corruption but it's occurring astatine the incorrect clip of twelvemonth - not the clip of twelvemonth we expect to spot it."

Pharmacies are disquieted astir patchy supplies of antibiotics caused by the rising request for penicillin and amoxicillin, which are utilized to dainty cases of strep A and scarlet fever,

David McCrea, a pharmacist astatine Dundela Pharmacy successful eastbound Belfast, said helium had tally retired of liquid penicillin.

"All we tin accidental to radical who travel successful is to effort different pharmacy oregon inquire their GP for different antibiotic, though supplies of those are moving low," helium said.

The Department of Health successful Northern Ireland said enactment to support supplies was an "absolute priority".

A spokesperson said UK antibiotic supplies remained bully but section level proviso issues for immoderate antibiotics had arisen owed to a caller acute summation successful demand.

The section said it was moving with nationalist counterparts to support the travel of supplies to Northern Ireland.

Most strep A infections are mild - a sore pharynx oregon a tegument corruption that tin beryllium easy treated with antibiotics.

But immoderate radical who drawback it tin get precise sick.

Some radical make scarlet fever, which causes a tegument rash (that feels similar sandpaper) and flu-like symptoms, including a precocious temperature.

Very rarely, Strep A tin origin thing called invasive radical A streptococcal corruption oregon iGAS, which tin beryllium deadly.

Invasive illness happens erstwhile the bacteria get past your body's immune defences.

The authorities said that during a akin play successful 2017-18 - the past precocious play for iGAS corruption - determination were 4 deaths successful England.

But the fig of cases of invasive radical A strep, oregon iGAS - the astir superior signifier of corruption - is 33 truthful acold successful 2022, compared to 55 successful 2018 and 72 successful 2019 (before the pandemic).

The Public Health Agency said determination was nary denotation Northern Ireland was seeing much deaths from iGAS than successful erstwhile years.

As a parent, if you consciousness that your kid seems earnestly unwell, you should spot your ain judgement. Contact your GP if:

Call 999 oregon spell to A&E if: