• Medical experts warn of a sudden rise in strep throat cases
• The invasive disease causes germs to spread to areas of the body that they usually do not go to
• The main difference between a regular sore throat and strep throat is that the latter needs antibiotics to be treated

The top doctor in Illinois warned of a rising number of cases of strep throat in children that could be deadly if left unaddressed.

Health officials in the state also issued an alert over the rapid increase in dangerous strep throat cases following at least five pediatric deaths that were reported so far. The warning focuses on the invasive Group-A strep throat.

A Rise in Strep Throat Cases

Many severe complications resulting from strep throat, which, in very rare instances, result in the bacteria migrating to other parts of the body and becoming invasive. In a statement, Dr. Michael Cappello of the Advocate Children's Hospital said they were finding germs in body parts that do not usually host them, such as the bloodstream, lungs, or joints.

The medical expert, the vice chairman of Advocate Children's Hospital, added that there have already been cases at the hospital where patients who had invasive Group-A strep needed intensive care due to their conditions, as per ABC7 Chicago.

Health officials are not yet sure what the cause of the spike in pediatric cases of strep throat is. Cappello added that because of the rise in viral infections in the respiratory surge in the winter, the Group A virus is having an easier time avoiding people's immune systems.

Group-A strep bacteria are capable of causing common and generally mild illnesses. However, health experts warned people that they should contact their health providers if their kids have severe symptoms, such as scarlet fever.

Dr. Arti Barnes of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said that when a person gets a rash that looks almost like a sunburn, it will be scarlet fever. He added that it would later become a diffused red rash on the body, and then the skin on the fingertips could start peeling off.

Read Also: Healthy Cats, Dogs Capable of Transmitting Drug-Resistant Microbes to Humans 

Is There a Treatment for Strep Throat?

The main difference between strep throat to a common sore throat is that the latter is caused by a virus that would typically be cured naturally by the body's immune system. On the other hand, the former is a bacterial infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics, according to SamHealth.

Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said two deaths related to strep throat, children aged four and seven, were seemingly healthy kids infected by strep throat. Medical experts appropriately treated the two patients, but they later died because every person reacts differently to antibiotics and treatment of the disease.

The clinical director of Memorial Health's urgent care facilities, Dr. Anna Richie, added that people infected with strep throat usually have an isolated sore throat without experiencing any cold symptoms.

Memorial Health has also recorded a rapid rise in strep throat cases in the past week, with more than 700 cases observed. Furthermore, the positivity rate rose to 30% compared to an average year's 10%, said the State Journal-Register.

Related Article: CDC Warns of Rise in Deadly Drug-Resistant Fungal Infection