9th child dies from Strep A bacterial infection in UK

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - A 5-year-old girl lost her life from a Strep A bacterial infection, making her the ninth child to die from the illness across the UK since September, according to media reports on Tuesday.

The girl from Black Mountain Primary School in Northern Ireland, who fell seriously ill last week, was under treatment at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, BBC reported.

Related authorities are working closely with those schools that are affected and Black Mountain Primary School is undergoing a deep clean, according to reports.

Of total deaths, seven were reported in England, and one each in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Group A streptococcus (GAS) or Strep A is a type of bacteria often found in the throat and on the skin. It can be spread through coughs and sneezes as well as skin-to-skin contact.

It is also known that deaths from the infection are rare.