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4 months ago
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Two children who attended a Liverpool primary school which is battling an outbreak of an infectious stomach bug have died.
The pair, believed to be just five and six years old, had been pupils at Millstead Primary School, which provides education for children with special needs in Everton, Merseyside.
Their headteacher said everyone connected with the school was 'devastated' by their deaths, and that they had 'filled their classes with joy'.
The school had been dealing with an outbreak of giardiasis, an infection caused by a parasite which causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps, flatulence and bloating.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had been managing the outbreak of the illness and said that although the reason for their deaths has not been confirmed as of yet, it is 'unlikely' to be due to the bug.
The two children had been attending Millstead Primary School in Everton, Merseyside, before their deaths
The school is currently dealing with an outbreak of the stomach bug giardia, which is caused by the parasite giardia lamblia. Pictured: A photomicrograph image of a giardia lamblia parasite
Giardisis is generally not considered to be a serious risk to health and can be treated easily with antibiotics.
A spokesperson for the UKHSA said: 'UK Health Security Agency are aware of the sad deaths of two children who attend Millstead Primary School and our thoughts are with the family, friends and school community.
'The deaths are unlikely to be due to giardia. Giardia usually causes a self-limiting gastrointestinal illness which can spread easily in households and school settings.'
The agency has not said when either child died but a letter from the school's headteacher was sent on May 21, alerting parents to two cases of Giardiasis confirmed at the school.
In a statement Michelle Beard, who is the headteacher of the special needs school, said the children would be 'forever in our hearts'.
She said: 'The entire Millstead School community is devastated to have learned of the sad recent passing of two of our younger children.
'We have sent our sincerest condolences to both of their families. Both children filled their classes with joy during their time with us, and they will forever be in our hearts.
'We are working closely with our families, staff and pupils to support them as we come to terms with this terribly sad news.'
The outbreak of giardia, which is caused by the parasite giardia lamblia, was first reported by the Liverpool Echo last month.
Michelle Beard, the headteacher at Millstead Primary School, said the community was 'devastated' by the deaths of the children
Since then health officials have put preventative measures in place to stop the outbreak, including closing the school entirely for one week in a bid to stop it spreading.
Emma Savage, consultant in health protection for the UKHSA Cheshire and Merseyside Health Protection Team, said: 'Investigations are ongoing, and we have provided information and advice to the school and parents. Public health measures have been put in place to help prevent further cases.'
Giardiasis can be spread by direct contact with infected people or animals, or from swallowing contaminated water, food or drinks. Once treated symptoms should stop in about a week but can sometimes last longer.
The bug can be prevented by washing hands with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before handling and eating food. Children should be encouraged to wash their hands regularly.
What is giardiasis?
Giardiasis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by a parasite called giardia lamblia.
It normally causes mild symptoms like diarrhoea, excessive flatulence, smelly burps, bloating and weight loss.
People typically get giardiasis through direct contact with infected people or animals or from consuming food or drink contaminated with infected faeces.
The latter can occur through infected people preparing food or drinking and swimming in water tainted with animal faeces.
It is also possible to contract it through sexual contact.
Symptoms usually start one to two weeks after infection.
However, some people never experience symptoms but can still pass on the infection to others.
Medics diagnose giardiasis by sending a stool sample of a patient for analysis.
Giardiasis is then normally treated with antibiotics and usually goes away within a week of starting treatment.
Patients are advised to call NHS 111 if they have had diarrhoea for over a week or have any episode of bloody diarrhoea.
While there are about 4,000 cases of giardiasis recorded in the UK each year, however cases may be higher as many people will attribute symptoms to a 'tummy bug' and not seek medical help and thus not recorded.
However, deaths from giardiasis in developed countries like the UK are considered to be extremely rare.
Global annual giardiasis cases are estimated to be 200million of which some 500,000 result in a fatality.
Infection is considered to be more broadly more dangerous for children and people with weakened immune systems.
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