Strep throat infections are on the rise among BC children.
The BC Centre for Disease Control, Provincial Health Services Authority, and BC Childrens Hospital say in a joint statement there have been 51 cases of group A streptococcus infections this year among people under 20.
They say that’s more than twice the number from last year.
Most people recover with antibiotics, but strep infections can lead to life-threatening pneumonia or toxic shock.
Health experts say parents should monitor kids who have fevers lasting longer than five days, rashes, and difficulty breathing, which could be signs of an infection.
There has been an increase across Canada and worldwide in strep infections, with 547 cases in total this year in BC.
