First strep A hospitalisation in Cyprus

A four-year-old child is intubated in the Makarios hospital with a strep A infection, the health ministry said on Monday.

The girl is the first hospitalised case for invasive group A streptococcal disease following the recent outbreak and child deaths in the UK.

A paediatrician specialising on infectious diseases has arrived in Cyprus from Israel to treat the patient following the intervention of health ministry permanent secretary Christina Yiannaki.

According to health ministry spokesman Constantinos Athanasiou, the ministry is moving forward with all actions necessary to treat similar cases.

Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela recently met the paediatric society to discuss the issue and take relevant decisions. After the meeting, the ministry issued advice on Strep A while a week ago it said it will distribute strep tests to paediatricians.

In the UK, over a dozen children have died in recent weeks from the infection according to Reuters. The UK Health Security Agency has said there is an increase in infections, but that there was no evidence to suggest a new strain of the bacteria.