The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday alerted the medical community to an increase in pediatric cases of invasive group A strep infections.
Group A streptococci are the same bacteria that cause strep throat and scarlet fever, but invasive infections refer to more serious cases in which the bacteria spread to areas of the body that such pathogens normally don't reach, like the bloodstream.
The CDC warned in its health advisory that although rare, "these severe and invasive diseases are associated with high mortality rates and require immediate treatment, including appropriate antibiotic therapy."
The Biden administration announced its strategy to contain COVID-19 cases through the holidays, including making free testing kits available to all U.S. households.
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