Strep A Causing Fatalities in the Region

Last December, I wrote a few times (here, here, here, and here) about strep becoming more invasive and deadly if it follows a Covid case--even if it's mild or asymptomatic Covid--after 15 kids across the UK died within a few weeks. Covid does a number on the immune system's ability to fight off other diseases; it kills off the cells that kids' bodies need to fight off infection so they can't fight Strep A.

In Waterloo Region, children are dying of strep and it's barely mentioned in the news. I just got word of it yesterday after a mom came forward to make her grief public after doing everything possible for her daughter, Quin, who succumbed 12 hours after being admitted to hospital:

"In the region, there have been 21 infections between January and the end of April; there were 25 infections in all of 2022. Five of the 21 people diagnosed with invasive Group A strep in 2023 died. . . . For the 2022/2023 flu season, there have been about 900 cases--a spike of 63%." 

So when was public health going to tell us??

The article assures us that "there are certain characteristics that trained health-care providers are aware of and can help them to think about a potential bacterial infection with Group A streptococcal disease," but in this particular case--as happened in England as well--"No one seemed to pick up on the fact her daughter's symptoms might be something more than a bad cold." 

Doctors were told about the increase in cases and death, but not the general public. No warning until now, after we find ourselves with a disease with almost a 25% fatality rate, now we'll let people know and maybe they'll WEAR A MASK, which wasn't even mentioned in the article despite it being, "passed from person to person through breathing, coughing or sneezing." Instead, Dr. Jeffrey Pernica at McMaster Children's Hospital suggests to go to the hospital for difficulty breathing like always. He said, "I am confident that parents in our region are going to continue to do the same good job they've always done." 

What does that even mean??? It sounds like it's all on the parents, but Quin's mom made all the right phone calls and asked all the right questions and was told it's just a cold until it was too late. 

Strep is more dangerous for young kids and people over 65, but even if it won't cause much harm to you, you can still transmit it to someone else, even before you know you have it, if you don't wear a mask in public places!! We have a cheap and easy solution to prevent illness and death to the young and old and immunocompromised. What will it take for people to actually give a shit? And what will it take for that reporter to just add one more sentence: Wear a mask to reduce your chances of getting or spreading Strep.

Geez, people!