Outbreak of bacterial infection spread by touching and kissing kills 14th person

A highly contagious bacterial infection which can spread through sneezing, touching or kissing has claimed its 14th victim. Almost 40 people in Essex have so far been affected by the Group A streptococcal (iGAS) outbreak, with 33 confirmed by authorities. The illness may produce no symptoms, but can create conditions ranging from minor illnesses to deadly diseases. The Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group said that after investigations it had retrospectively decided that 14 people had died since the outbreak. The disease may be caused by bacteria entering parts of the body where it is not normally found.

The infection is spread through kissing and touching (Picture: Getty)

A 14th person has died after catching highly contagious bacterial infection Strep A which has infected 37 people across Essex.

Of that group, 33 have been confirmed to have been affected from this outbreak and the four others are probable cases.

Group A strep can cause infections, ranging from minor illnesses to very serious diseases and can be found in the throat and on the skin, with many having no symptoms of illness.

It is spread between people through ‘contact or by droplets from the respiratory tract’ – so by sneezing, kissing and skin contact.

The outbreak in Essex of invasive Group A streptococcal – known as iGAS – occurs when the bacteria gets into sterile areas of the body where it is not usually found – such as the blood stream, muscle or lungs.

Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is investigating the outbreak after it was first discovered in June in Braintree, Essex.

It said in a statement: ‘Following regular communications with the patients and their families affected by this outbreak, we have been informed that a patient in mid Essex who had previously been treated for iGAS earlier in the year has sadly died.

‘Our thoughts are with their family.

14 people have died since the outbreak (Picture: Getty)

‘We are reporting this retrospectively having completed investigations to conclude that their death is linked to this outbreak.

‘To protect patient confidentiality we are unable to confirm when they had iGAS or when they passed away’.

Additional cases of iGAS have also been found around Chelmsford and Maldon in Essex.

Mid Essex CCG say they are leading an incident management team to control and prevent the spreading of the infection.

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