Kerry parents are being warned to look out for the symptoms of Strep A in their children.
It comes after a young girl in Cork, became the fourth child to die from the bacterial infection.
Strep A is a common bacteria that is sometimes found in the throat or on the skin without causing any symptoms.
It usually causes mild illness like sore throats and skin infections.
In rare cases, these bacteria can cause a severe and life threatening illness, called invasive Group A Streptococcal disease or iGAS.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been notified of 73 cases of Strep A in Ireland, 19 were in children aged under 10 years.
Thirty nine of the cases have been reported since the beginning of October, nine of which were in children aged under 10 years old.
The HPSC say since October, there have been four deaths in children: three deaths in children aged under 10 years old and one death in a child aged 10-18.
Symptoms of Strep A normally include a sore throat, high temperature, chills, and muscle aches.
It’s spread by close contact with an infected person and can be passed on through coughs and sneezes or from a wound.
The HSE say symptoms can be treated at home and to ask your pharmacist for advice on medicines.
