CONNECTICUT — Cases of invasive group A strep infections are still making people sick in Connecticut and several other places around the country, public health officials warned.
“After a decrease during the initial years of the pandemic, preliminary 2023 data indicate a return to levels similar to pre-pandemic levels,” for group A strep infections in Connecticut, Department of Public Health spokesperson Christopher Boyle told Patch.
The bacteria is commonly carried by people in their noses and throats or on the skin, but in its invasive form, it can invade parts of the body that are normally free from germs. This more severe type of strep is usually seen in children, but the CDC said some areas of the country are seeing it more often in adults, including those 65 and older.
Find out what's happening in Across Connecticutwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Like other contagious illnesses, invasive group A strep cases dropped during the social distancing of the pandemic, falling to the lowest number of cases on record since 1997 among school-aged kids.
Mild and moderate strep infections are usually treated with amoxicillin, which is in short supply. Alternative therapies are available. Invasive group A strep roared back last year amid the shortage of drugs to treat it, although there’s no data link as yet between those developments, the CDC said.
Find out what's happening in Across Connecticutwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A week after the CDC’s December warning of an uptick in cases, the World Health Organization reported invasive group A strep infections were also increasing in several other countries.
Invasive group A strep is both dangerous and rare, with anywhere between 14,000 and 25,000 illnesses a year in the United States. The fatality rate is around 1,500 to 2,300 people a year, according to the CDC.
Click Here: newcastle knights jersey
Any group A strep case warrants a trip to the doctor. Typical symptoms include fever, sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
Parents and caregivers should also keep an eye out for symptoms of toxic shock syndrome — fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting — and the so-called “flesh-eating” disease, necrotizing fasciitis — a fast-spreading swollen area on the skin, severe pain and fever, along with blisters, changes in skin color or pus at the infected area.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.