Colorado health officials warn of new severe strep in children

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) --The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports two children have died from severe strep infections and 11 other children have been sick with invasive strep infections since November.

According to the CDPHE, group A strep is very contagious and generally spread person-to-person through respiratory droplets and direct contact.

According to our news partners in Denver, state health officials said pediatric hospitalizations from the infections are rising. The group A strep infections are much more severe and can be complications of other viral respiratory illnesses like RSV, flu, or COVID-19.

The CDPHE said they typically only see one or two cases of group A strep a month, so they are monitoring the situation closely. The last time a child died of severe strep was in 2018, according to 9News in Denver.

Children's Hospital Colorado said they're seeing more kids aged ten months to six years old hospitalized with severe infections.

for more information on group A strep, click here.