Strep A numbers revised as health bosses rule out Basildon and Southend link

Cases of the bacterial infection, Strep A found in Basildon and Southend, are not part of the mid-Essex outbreak, according to the Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group.

Health bosses have now revised down the total number of patients affected to thirty, with two more cases reported as probable. The CCG had previously released a figure of thirty-four. Twelve of those patients have died.

All of the cases have been found in elderly members of the community, the majority of which had been receiving medical attention for wounds.

Most of them were receiving treatment in their own home, but some of the patients were living in care facilities.

Streptococcal infections are usually unpleasant but not life-threatening and minor strep A infections can be treated with antibiotics.

Mid Essex CCG says they are leading an incident management team to control and prevent the spreading of the infection.

These control measures include:

• A programme of preventative antibiotics for the community nursing staff in mid-Essex.

• Community nursing teams who usually work within the CM7 postcode area in Braintree are working only in that area for the time being to minimise the risk of the infection spreading. This is because the majority of cases have been within this area of Braintree.

• A deep clean of all community nurse bases in mid-Essex and reinforcing standard infection control measures including hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment among NHS wants to staff continue.

• Swabs are being taken from adult patients being treated by mid-Essex community nursing teams to check for the bacteria.

The CCG says that the risk of the wider public becoming infected is very low, but advise seeing a GP immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:

• High fever

• Severe muscle aches

• Pain in one area of the body

• Redness at the site of a wound

• Vomiting or diarrhoea