Alert for outbreak of scarlet fever in Hong Kong

• April 24, 2024

The health authorities confirmed on Tuesday, the second death in Hong Kong due to the outbreak of scarlet fever . However, cases of this disease also increased in China and Macao.

According to the agency Reuters , the 5-year-old boy who died in Hong Kong, attended a garden with another 400 boys. Although the authorities did not detect other cases of scarlet fever in the school, managers were advised to close the campus for a week, because they estimate that the outbreak could worsen:

"We will be monitoring the situation very closely," he said. Thomas Tsang , doctor and controller Hong Kong Center for Health Protection (CHP by its acronym in English)

The disease, caused by streptococcus bacteria of group A and which is spread through respiratory secretions, also caused the death of a 7-year-old girl at the end of May and infected more than 100 children in China, Hong Kong and Macao.

What are its causes and risk factors?

In accordance with Medline Plus , the scarlet fever or scarlet fever It was a very serious disease in the past, but nowadays it is easily curable. It is caused by streptococcal bacteria, which produce a toxin that leads to the reddish rash, which is what distinguishes the disease.

The main risk factor is infection by the bacteria that causes strep throat . This increases the risk of infection. It is spread by coughing or sneezing.

Hong Kong registered more than 419 cases of scarlet fever this year, the highest figure in recent times. Patients were found in kindergartens, primary schools and child care centers. Those infected in that country increased 4.5 times compared to the same period in 2010.

Scientists of the University of Hong Kong They believe that the bacteria may be spreading more quickly than usual, due to a genetic mutation. The explanation is that half of the streptococcus bacteria of group A in Hong Kong are resistant to antibiotics erythromycin Y clindamycin , although all are susceptible to penicillin, according to CHP data.