Scarlet fever in schools and kindergartens. Facilities appeal: “Do not bring a sick child”

The number of people suffering from scarlet fever (scarlet fever) has been increasing at a dynamic pace since spring. The situation is similar not only in Poland, but also in France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy and Sweden. According to experts, this is a post-pandemic effect.

How many people suffer from scarlet fever?

Data published by the National Institute of Public Health – National Research Institute show that from January 1 to December 15, 2023, 41,579 cases of scarlet fever, also known as scarlet fever, were registered in Poland. But there may be much more to the reality of scarlet fever patients, but not all patients consult doctors. Sometimes scarlet fever is so mild that parents confuse its symptoms with three-day fever. And when clinics do not know about a person suffering from scarlet fever, they do not inform the district sanitary and epidemiological stations about it.

Number of cases according to data from the National Institute of Public Health – National Research Institute.

• report from December 15 – 41,579,

• report from November 30 – 38,216,

• report from November 15 – 35,902,

• report from October 31 – 34,429,

• report from October 15 – 33,129,

• report from September 30 – 32,553,

• report from September 15 – 31,968.

Kindergartens appeal: “Do not bring a sick child”

Scarlet fever, like almost every infectious disease, spreads quite quickly through droplets – during coughing, sneezing, but also through contact with saliva. You can also get infected with scarlet fever by touching infected objects. It’s very easy to do this in nurseries and kindergartens, hence the appeals of the facilities for sick children to stay at home and not infect other children and employees.

“Dear parents, I am asking you a huge and great request, do not bring a sick baby”– this is how the Private Kindergarten in Mierzyn asks adults to be considerate. The information appeared, among others, on social media. The facility asks parents to inform about all infectious diseases, such as scarlet fever, measles, rubella, smallpox, Boston’s disease, conjunctivitis or enterocolitis.

What are the symptoms of scarlet fever?

Scarlet fever is an infectious bacterial disease – scarlet fever is caused by streptococci. Its name is related to the characteristic, the scarlet color of the throat – it is red with an admixture of brown. After a few days, the color of the tongue changes to raspberry. A white coating may appear on the tongue. In the initial phase, scarlet fever is accompanied by high fever (up to 40 degrees), accompanied by chills and rapid heart rate. Other symptoms of scarlet fever include sore throat that makes swallowing difficult, weakness, and muscle pain.

On the second or third day of scarlet fever, a patchy rash appears on the body, most often around the abdomen, groin, joint crease, around the mouth and chin. At first the pustules are light pink, then they become darker. It is characteristic that under the influence of pressure, they turn pale, and over time they begin to peel off. Although this disease mainly affects children, it can also occur in adults.