London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 24, 2025

Hove secondary school pupil dies with suspected strep A

Hove secondary school pupil dies with suspected strep A

A secondary school pupil has died with suspected strep A in East Sussex, officials have said.

The child attended Hove Park School in Hove, a joint statement from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Brighton & Hove City Council said.

As of Thursday, 15 UK children had died after invasive strep A infections since September.

The death of the pupil in Brighton with suspected strep A brings that number to 16.

Most strep A infections are mild, but more severe invasive cases - while still rare - are rising.

Public health officials in Brighton and Hove said they were working with the school to raise awareness among parents about the signs of strep A infections and what to do if a child develops them.

The age and gender of the child have not been disclosed.

Dr Rachael Hornigold, consultant in health protection at UKHSA South East, said: "We are extremely saddened to hear about the death of a young child, and our thoughts are with their family, friends and the local community."

Alistair Hill, director of Public Health at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: "We are working with the UK Health Security Agency and Hove Park School following the death of a pupil who attended the school.

"We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and the whole school community who will all be deeply affected by the very tragic loss of this young child, and we are providing our support to them at this incredibly sad time."

Normally, mild strep A infections cause symptoms like a sore throat or skin infections.

The bug can also cause scarlet fever - with a sore throat, skin rash that feels like sandpaper, a high temperature and a so-called "strawberry tongue".

It is treated with antibiotics which may also help reduce the risk of complications and spread of the bug.


What is strep A?

*  Group A streptococcal (GAS) infection is caused by strains of the streptococcus pyogenes bacterium

*  The bacteria can live on hands or the throat for long enough to allow easy spread between people through sneezing, kissing and skin contact

*  Most infections cause mild illnesses such as "strep throat" or skin infections

*  It can also cause scarlet fever and in the majority of cases this clears up with antibiotics

*  On rare occasions the bacteria can get deeper into the body - including infecting the lungs and bloodstream. It is known as invasive GAS (iGAS) and needs urgent treatment as this can be serious and life-threatening

Data as of Thursday from the UKHSA showed 13 children aged under 15 had died in England since September.

Two other deaths of children had been recorded in Belfast and Wales, taking the UK total to 15 at that point.

Mr Hill said that contracting strep A from another person was "very rare" and most people who come into contact with strep A infections "remain well and symptom-free - and therefore there is no reason for children to be kept home if well".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
×