Spread of scarlet fever infections in Japan not a cause for concern: DCD
The Disease Control Department (DCD) allayed public fears on Tuesday, saying the dangerous bacterial infections spreading fast in Japan should not affect Thailand.
Dr Jurai Wongsawat, spokesperson for DCD, said Group A Streptococcus infection or scarlet fever was not new and is being monitored under the 2015 Disease Control Act.
She said 4,989 scarlet fever cases were found in Thailand since 2019, but no new infections have been detected as of March 16 this year.
She also said there have been no fatalities from the infection, so far, and that it can be easily treated with antibiotics. Measures preventing Covid-19 infections are equally effective for preventing the spread of scarlet fever, she added.
People with symptoms of fever, sore throat or unexplained blisters should go to the doctor immediately to find out if they have scarlet fever, Dr Jurai said.
Though the spokesperson identified the infections in Japan as scarlet fever, Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) said: “There are still many unknown factors regarding mechanisms behind fulminant [severe and sudden] forms of streptococcus, and we are not at the stage where we can explain them.”
NIID said the number of cases in 2024 is expected to exceed last year’s record of 941. In the first two months of 2024, 378 cases have already been recorded, with infections identified in all but two of Japan’s 47 prefectures.
