Yet Another Viral Threat Is on the Rise in the U.S.—and It’s Already Proven Deadly

As if unusually high rates of hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus and flu, along with sporadic spikes in COVID-19, aren’t enough at least four hospitals in the United States are seeing a growing number of severe cases of Streptococcus A infection. As reported by NBC News, children’s hospitals in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and Washington have reported spikes in invasive Strep group A. Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston has recorded roughly 60 cases in October and November. There have been 11 cases in the Denver area since November 1; two of those children died. A typical rate for Denver would be one or two cases per month. The higher-than-usual occurrences have some concerned the U.S. will face problems similar to what the United Kingdom has gone through this year. At least 15 children have died from invasive Strep A in the UK since the middle of September.