A student at a Sussex school died after being infected with an invasive strain of Strep A. The child attended Hove Park School, according to the UK Health Security Agency, and specialists from the UKHSA are assisting the city council in the aftermath of the death. We are extremely saddened to hear about the death of a young child and our thoughts are with their family, friends, and the local community,” said Dr Rachael Hornigold, consultant in health protection at UKHSA South East. A Group A Streptococcus bacterium infection usually causes a sore throat, scarlet fever, or skin rash and is spread through physical contact or droplets from sneezing or coughing.” “In extremely rare cases, the infection can become invasive and enter areas of the body where bacteria aren’t normally found, which can be dangerous.” “We will carry out public health actions, such as advising the city council and the school community.” The child is the 16th in the UK to die as a result of Strep A infection. Some pharmacies in England may run out of Strep A antibiotics, though stocks are’sufficient’ nationally. The UKSHA reported on Thursday that the number of deaths in the UK had risen to 15. An invasive form of Strep A has also been linked to the death of a 4-year-old child in Ireland. The child’s age and gender were not disclosed, but because Hove Park School is a secondary school, the child would be over the age of 11. Earlier this week, a year 8 boy in London became the first secondary school child to die from Strep A.