HSE confirms second child died earlier this year from Strep A

Dr Eamonn O'Moore said a child had died earlier this year from Strep A. Picture: Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

The HSE has revealed that a second child died earlier this year from Strep A but would not reveal details of where or when it happened.

It would only confirm that the death was not connected to the current outbreak.

Earlier this month, a four-year-old child died from Strep A in the Northeast/North Dublin region and at that point it was believed that only one child and two people aged over 70 had died from the virus.

At a briefing on Thursday, however, HSE director of national health protection Dr Eamonn O'Moore said: "There are two paediatric cases, one of which I think had a lot of media coverage in the past week or so. 

"The second case actually represents a historic case," he said. "It’s from an earlier period in the year. 

We, as a result of the work we do all the time, from the quality assurance of our surveillance systems, continuously check our data and information flows and so this second reported case represents a case from an earlier part of the year.

Dr O'Moore also denied there is a widespread shortage of antibiotics to combat Strep A. 

He said there is a shortage of "liquid formulation of penicillin antibiotics" but insisted effective alternatives are available.

"There is no real concern about a lack of appropriate antibiotics to ensure children get the treatment they need," he said.

However, he did concede there are "some supply-chain issues", adding that some of the issues around demand will be "ironed-out" over the holidays as children mix less with each other. He referred to the Christmas holidays as "a fire-break".

The HSE, meanwhile, is preparing to go on “higher alert” after Christmas as cases of flu increase alongside a growing number of Covid-19 cases, putting pressure on all services.

Dr O'Moore said flu cases are expected to rise over the next two to three months.

He described the increase in Covid cases in recent weeks as “a call to arms” and urged people and healthcare workers to come forward for vaccinations.

Senior officials also defended the progress their specialist team is making with the under-pressure emergency departments in Limerick and Cork, insisting that improvements take time.