Tragedy strikes as Lewisham school pupil becomes victim of Strep A outbreak

A 12-year-old boy has become the first secondary school student to die from the Strep A winter bug, which has claimed lives at primary schools across the country. 

The Year 8 pupil from the Colfe’s School in Lewisham, is one of six children to have died as a result of the outbreak. 

The school has not commented and the boy’s name has not yet been officially disclosed. 

Richard Russell, headmaster at the private school in Horn Park Lane, Lee, has written to parents expressing the “huge shock” felt at the child’s death, while trying to reassure worried families. 

“We have taken advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA),” he said. 

“Blood tests identified the student had blood poisoning (septicaemia) caused by Group A streptococcus (GAS), which led to invasive Group A Streptococcal disease (iGAS). 

“The GAS bacterium is very common and usually causes mild illness such as scarlet fever, which can be treated with antibiotics. 

“However, in very rare circumstances it can be complicated by other ­infections and get into the bloodstream — becoming invasive and causing blood poisoning.” 

The Sun newspaper reported that the boy who died is understood to have been a keen rugby player and that another student from Colfe’s is believed to be in hospital. 

The illness usually only causes a mild sore throat and temperature, but in extreme cases can lead to a life-threatening infection.  

Health chiefs nationwide have urged parents to look out for symptoms and act promptly. 

The pandemic lockdown is being blamed for the outbreak because children were shuttered away — creating a lower immunity to infections. 

The UKHSA said the last time there was an intensive period of Strep A infection was in 2017-18, with four deaths in England in the equivalent time frame. 

Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of the UKHSA, said: “It is important parents are on the lookout for symptoms — and see a doctor as quickly as possible so we can stop the infection becoming serious.” 

Pictured top: Entrance to the school (Picture: Google Street View)