‘Poorliest girl in England’, four, comes off ventilator in Strep A battle, but remains in intensive care
A GIRL who has been fighting for her life after contracting Strep A is no longer on a ventilator.
Four-year-old Camila Rose Burns – dubbed the “the poorliest girl in England” – contracted the deadly illness a week ago.
She remains in intensive care as she tries to recover from the infection, has been sweeping across Britain, with more than 800 cases of scarlet fever recorded.
It is only an invasive form of the bacteria, which is rare, that can lead to serious illness.
Mum and dad Kaye and Dean, from Bolton, said their Camila remains “extremely poorly” but they are hoping for the best.
“As you can imagine being off the ventilator is a massive improvement, but she is still extremely poorly,” they told Bolton News.
“We have still not made it to the ‘safety’ of being out of intensive care.
“We are praying for her to continue to get better and for her body to recover so she can get back to playing at home with her family.”
Five of the six who have died are under 10 years old, the UK Health Security Agency have said.
They died within seven days of being diagnosed with the disease – a rare, but severe illness caused by bacteria.
Dean said his daughter began to complain about her chest after a bug went around her school.
He and Kaye, 39, brought her to hospital where doctors sent her home with an inhaler – but just a day later they were forced to rush her back to A&E.
She has been unresponsive in Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in the critical care unit since Sunday.
He said that he’s been “living in an absolute nightmare” since Camilla got sick.
“When we got [to the hospital] on Monday, they said she’s the poorliest girl in the whole of England,” he told Sky news.
“To go from dancing on Friday night with her friends, to a little bit under the weather on Saturday and then a bit more bad on Sunday, she’s basically not the same girl any more. It’s heartbreaking.”
HIGH ALERT: Symptoms of invasive Strep A
Group A Streptococcus is a bacteria that can cause mild illnesses like sore throats and skin infections, including tonsillitis cellulitis, impetigo and scarlet fever.
Also is also known as Streptococcus pyogenes, in rare cases the bacteria can trigger the life-threatening illness, invasive group A Strep disease.
Guidance from the NHS states that there are four key signs of invasive disease:
- fever (a high temperature above 38°C (100.4°F)
- severe muscle aches
- localised muscle tenderness
- redness at the site of a wound
Invasive disease happens when the bacteria break through the body’s immune defences.
It can happen if you’re already ill or have a weakened immune system.
Two of the most severe examples of invasive disease are necrotising fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome.
You’re at increased risk of Group Strep A invasive disease if you:
- are in close contact with someone who has the disease
- are over the age of 65
- are diabetic, have heart disease or cancer
- have recently had chickenpox
- have HIV
- use some steroids or intravenous drugs, according to the NHS.
Group Strep A bacteria can also cause scarlet fever, which can be serious if it’s not treated with antibiotics.
Dean, who described the pain his family is feeling as “the worst in the world”, is now urging parents to look out for the signs and act quickly.
He said: “When I look back it still just seemed like a sickness bug, she was really lethargic at times, but her health was improving until she completely changed.
“No family should be going through what we’re going through.
“We just got the Christmas tree out, the naughty elf, the advent calendars with all our names on.
“It’s just wrong. I don’t know what’s going to happen to her, whatever does, she’s our little girl, will always be our little girl.”