AsianScientist (Jun. 21, 2011) – Hong Kong has declared an outbreak of scarlet fever after 419 scarlet fever infections were confirmed in 2011, more than three times of 2010.
There were 142 cases in the first half of June alone, said a Center for Health Protection spokesman.
Children under ten made up 93 percent of the reported cases and most of the infections were mild, said the health protection center statement, released late Monday.
Scarlet fever is due to a throat infection caused by the group A streptococcus bacteria. Symptoms include a sore throat, high temperature, and a rash. Those infected by the bacteria develop a red and spotty tongue, hence the name ‘strawberry tongue’.
Scarlet fever happens every year in the region, but there have been more cases than usual this year.
“We have seen an unusually high number of infection cases this year,” the spokesman said, describing the situation as an ‘outbreak.’
Local scientists said the outbreak may be linked to a deadly new strain of the disease which could make it more transmissable than in the past. The new strain, discovered by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, appears to be resistant to antibiotics traditionally used to fight the illness, the spokesman added.
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