Strep A: Cheshire pharmacies report amoxicillin and penicillin shortages

There has been a surge in cases among children in recent days

Pharmacies in Cheshire have reported a shortage of antibiotics used to treat strep A.

Demand for penicillin and amoxicillin has increased recently after a rise in the number of cases in children.

Hannah Sami, who manages a pharmacy in Wilmslow, Cheshire, said she had "never seen" so many prescriptions and she had completely run out of amoxicillin.

The government said there were good supplies of antibiotics and stock could be moved around if there were issues.

The latest UK Health Security Agency figures show 15 children in the UK have died after invasive strep A infections since September.

There have also been 47 deaths from strep A in adults in England.

Most strep A infections are mild but cases of more severe, invasive strep A infections - whilst rare - are rising.

Symptoms like a sore throat or skin infections occur in mild cases, though the bug can also cause scarlet fever.

It is treated with antibiotics which may also help reduce the risk of complications and spread of the bug.

'Real short supply'

Dr Andrew Hill, a drugs expert at Liverpool University, said amoxicillin was in "severe shortage" worldwide at the moment, with health authorities in France, Spain, Brazil, the United States and Canada all reporting a lack of supply.

"It seems to be down to a surge in demand as people, especially children, are getting this thing called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and afterwards, they can have a high risk of bacterial infections," he said.

"The estimates are that there are 10 times more cases of scarlet fever this year than there were last year."

Ms Sami said her pharmacy had run out of amoxicillin and only had two doses of penicillin left.

"For the last week, I've just not been able to get amoxicillin," she said.

"We're definitely having supply issues.

"This is not down to normal winter pressures, I've never run out like this before."

She said she had "never seen so many amoxicillin prescriptions" and other pharmacies had experienced similar shortages.

"I don't think anyone has it at all and I'm not aware of any deliveries," she added.

A pharmacy in nearby Alderley Edge told the BBC it had similar shortages of amoxicillin.

"It's in real short supply at the moment," a representative said.

"Pharmacy managers are calling around asking for it [but] no-one has any."

Wilmslow GP Dr Fari Ahmad said the picture was similar in other parts of the North West.

"This is not something I've experienced before", she said.

"We've had reassurances from the government that there's not a supply issue, but at the front line, that's not what we're seeing.

"I know lots of our local surgeries are struggling to accommodate everybody."

She added that her colleagues were "already spread really thin and this has taken a big toll".

"We're kind of being left on our own to try and find our way out of this."

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said on Wednesday that checks within the Department of Health had not revealed an issue with supply of medicines.

He said the level of supply was "not a concern at the moment", but stock could be moved around if there was an issue with particular GPs getting supplies.

A Department of Health and Social Care representative said there was "no supplier shortage of antibiotics available to treat strep A".

"As the Secretary of State said, we sometimes have surges for products and increased demand means some pharmacies are having difficulties obtaining certain antibiotics," they said.

"We are working urgently with manufactures and wholesalers to explore what can be done to expedite deliveries and bring forward stock they have to help ensure it gets to where it's needed, to meet demand as quickly as possible and support access to these vital medicines."