As of January 9, Canada´s Public Health Agency reported having received over 4,600 samples of streptococcus A, a bacterium that can cause serious infection or even death if left untreated.

Reported cases have been serious enough to require hospitalization and, in some, people have died as a result of the infection, the health agency stated.

The spread of this variant began to be reported late last year in Ontario, when a local agency report said there were 715 hospitalizations and 104 deaths.

Streptococcus pyogenes, colloquially called group A streptococcus, is a common pathogen that predominantly affects the skin, soft tissues and respiratory tract.

It holds the dubious honor of ranking among top pathogens causing morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in disadvantaged settings.

This streptococcus represents the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis in school-aged children.

Each year, experts expect 616 million new cases of pharyngitis caused by streptococcus.

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