Manitoba monitoring Strep A infections as Canada sees rise in cases

According to the country’s national health agency, Canada saw in 2023, the most invasive group A strep infections reported, with cases here in Manitoba also picking up.

As neighbouring province Ontario reports child deaths from invasive strep A, officials here say they are keeping a close eye.

“Most definitely we saw an increase in incidents last year and this year we still see a higher trend,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, Chief Provincial Public Health Officer.

Canada’s public health agency told CityNews over 4,600 invasive group A strep infections were reported in 2023, beating the previous record set in 2019 where over 3,200 cases were reported.

Manitoba also saw an increase in invasive group A strep infections in 2023, with 200 cases reported, up from 150 a year prior.

“We know that with the respiratory season, we usually see an uptick in these invasive secondary infections, including group A strep,” said Roussin.

Strep A is a bacteria only found in humans, which lives in our throats and our skin. The bacteria can cause strep throat.

Invasive group A strep infection occurs when strep A bacteria moves from an environment which is not considered sterile such as our throats to an area of our body that is supposed to be sterile such as our blood.

“This increase in cases is likely due to a new strain that has been circulating around the globe. It likely originated in the United Kingdom,” explained John McCormick, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Western Ontario.

“When invasive infections are caused by strep A, those can become extremely dangerous. They tend to happen to people in the more of the extremes of age, the very young or the very old but those infections can happen to anybody.” 

It’s why McCormick says if anyone is experiencing strep throat, they seek treatment for it to prevent more serious illness.

“Prior viral infections can predispose people to getting invasive disease. The one that has been well-studied years ago has been chicken pox. Children who have developed active chicken pox roughly have a 50-fold increase in developing invasive streptococcus disease. There is no vaccine for strep but there is a vaccine for chicken pox,” said McCormick.

Ontario reported 48 deaths, including six in children nine and under between October and December in 2023.

“Because it’s associated with those infections, COVID-19, influenza, we should take that opportunity to protect ourselves,” said Dr. Roussin.

While Manitoba is not reporting an outbreak of cases here, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says the province is monitoring the situation across the country.

“Certainly, the rise of cases is concerning nationally. Here in Manitoba, we have taken steps through the public health lens to ensure that physicians, nurse practitioners are aware of how they need to asses patients and communicate with families to ensure they have the right information,” said Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara.