A Burnley school has told parents it has positive cases of Strep A after nine children are reported to have died from the illness nationally.

Rosewood Primary School has said it has been informed there are positive cases of Invasive Group A streptococcal disease (iGAS) within the school.

This comes as nine children have died of the illness as cases have increased across the United Kingdom.

In a letter sent to parents, headteacher Nerys Ditchburn Hughes said the school has ‘sought advice’.

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Ms Hughes said: “Please rest assured, they are making a recovery, at home, following medical advice.

“We have sought advice from UK Health Security Agency Northwest Health Protection Team. They have advised  there is no reason for children to be kept at home if well and school activities can continue as normal.”

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a bacterium often found in the throat and on the skin.

Most GAS infections are relatively mild illnesses such as "strep throat", scarlet fever or impetigo.

On rare occasions, these bacteria can cause other severe and even life-threatening infection.

Parents are advised to look out for high fever, severe muscle aches, localised muscle tenderness and redness at the site of a wound.

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If any of these symptoms develop, parents should seek medical advice immediately and tell their doctor that their child has been in contact with someone recently diagnosed with iGAS disease.

Ms Hughes added in the letter there had also been reports of children in school with possible symptoms of scarlet fever, an infection which can be caused by Strep A bacteria.