Scarlet fever outbreak in Jersey
There is an outbreak of the highly contagious illness, Scarlet fever in Jersey. Hospital staff believe it started in January.
Scarlet fever is a bacteria infection which can cause a fine pink-red rash that feels like sandpaper.
The strain currently in Jersey is called Group A, it's found in the throat and on the skin and mainly affects children.
The illness can spread through the air or by contact with an infected person.Click here for more information on Scarlet fever.
80% of cases occur in children under the age of 10, however people of any age can catch the illness.
Initial symptoms include:
A sore throat
Headache
High temperature - 38.3C/101F or above
Flushed cheeks
Swollen tongue
Pinkish rash - after a day or two of initial symptoms
Scarlet fever is very contagious and can be caught by:
Breathing in bacteria in airborne droplets from an infected person's coughs and sneezes
Touching the skin of a person with a streptococcal skin infection, such as impetigo
Sharing contaminated towels, baths, clothes or bed linen
If you think your child has symptoms, this is the current advice to parents...
Get a diagnosis and treatment early on
Your child needs to stay at home for at least 24 hours after starting antibiotics to avoid spreading the infection
Encourage your child to cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and put used tissues in a bin and make sure they wash their hands regularly to avoid spreading the infection
Scarlet fever can be treated with antibiotics