A rare case of scarlet fever at a Christ Church primary school has left one child in intensive care, but health officials insisted on Wednesday that the situation is under control, urging the public to remain calm as investigations and treatment continue.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George confirmed on Wednesday that the student from Gordon Walters Primary School who was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) earlier this week was diagnosed with the contagious bacterial infection – possibly the first such case in more than a decade.
“The diagnosis is confirmed. The child is doing better. [The child is] being treated appropriately,” Dr George told Barbados TODAY. “We will continue to investigate the closest contacts. This is not the first time that there has been scarlet fever in Barbados . . . but it is something that is very rare to me.”
The announcement follows the early closure of the school on Tuesday after the child’s illness sparked concerns among teachers and parents. At least six other students in the same class reportedly fell ill with fever, triggering fears of a contagious outbreak.
While investigations by the Ministry of Health continued, Dr George was critical of the spread of misinformation and panic surrounding the case.
“We need to ask questions as to what is the purpose of this being circulated . . . and I can’t come up with an answer,” he said. “The child has been receiving treatment and is improving. Investigations continue by the ministry’s side—that’s all we can say at this point.”
President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), Dr Lynda Williams, also strongly cautioned the public against panic, describing the illness as both treatable and containable.
“Scarlet fever is what we call streptococcal pharyngitis or strep throat—people might know it better by that name,” she explained. “It is a rare thing to see [a case] of this in the modern antibiotic era, because once it’s caught early, it can be treated effectively with antibiotics.”
Dr Williams said scarlet fever is a more severe manifestation of strep throat, commonly affecting children.
“It’s an infection that not only affects the throat, but also has other manifestations in the body, particularly in the skin. You see a fine rash that blanches with pressure, starting in the groin, then spreading to the trunk and mouth. That’s the toxin being released from the bacteria in the throat.”
She added that in earlier decades, scarlet fever was often a precursor to rheumatic fever, a more severe illness affecting the heart and joints.
“But we don’t see that very often any more because these illnesses are picked up and treated earlier,” she said, pointing out scarlet fever is “contagious between people, but it’s usually picked up early and treated with antibiotics. It’s just that it’s rare for it to progress to the place where we’re seeing the skin rash, the full scarlet fever.”
Asked about how it spreads, Dr Williams said streptococcus bacteria is commonly present in the environment and may follow a viral illness.
“Most things start with a viral illness, and then a bacterial infection follows. Scarlet fever is a more severe manifestation of strep, but again, it’s not new—it’s just not commonly seen any more.”
Public health authorities are now conducting contact tracing at Gordon Walters Primary, identifying students who may have been exposed or are showing early signs of illness.
“This is what public health does,” Dr Williams said. “They look at who was in contact, what classrooms were affected, and who is exhibiting symptoms like high fever and sore throat. Those are the ones we want to catch early—before it progresses.”
She stressed that the presence of the illness should not be taken as a reflection of poor hygiene or unsanitary conditions at the school.
“It’s not a matter of the school being dirty, or the child coming from a dirty home. It’s not about that. People travel, people pick up things . . . viral and bacterial infections are part of life. What matters is that we recognise and treat early.”
Efforts to reach the Ministry of Education for a comment were unsuccessful up to publication. When contacted, First Vice-President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) and Chair of the union’s Health and Safety Committee, Julian Pierre, declined to comment, saying any official response must come from either the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education.
Dr Williams also urged government and public health communicators to provide more transparent information from the outset to avoid unnecessary fear. She said public sensitisation was extremely important, especially as people were on edge following COVID-19.
“I think there’s a little too much hype when things like this come out, and people get into a state of panic,” she said. “There needs to be more explanation and clearer communication at the beginning. It’s not a new illness. It’s a very old one. It’s just that it broke out among this group of children . . . I can’t think back to another episode like this in the last ten, fifteen years. It’s not common for this to happen.”
Dr Williams said the illness is “easily contained”, and no extraordinary measures are needed beyond basic monitoring and prompt treatment.
“We catch them early. We treat them with antibiotics early. The whole thing is contained and the child does not progress. This is something that goes on every day in Barbados, without fanfare. The only difference is that this child became seriously ill. That’s not common—but it can happen. What we shouldn’t do is not panic.”
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
What is scarlet fever?
Scarlet fever is a contagious bacterial infection, most common in children, caused by Group A streptococcus, the same bacteria responsible for strep throat.
It is characterised by a sudden onset of sore throat, high fever, and a distinctive pink-red rash that feels like sandpaper, typically starting on the chest or neck and spreading to other parts of the body.
Other tell-tale signs include a red and bumpy tongue — often described as “strawberry tongue” — flushed cheeks, and swollen glands in the neck. While scarlet fever was once a serious childhood disease, it is now easily treated with antibiotics, and most children recover fully within a week.
Prompt medical attention is important, doctors say, as untreated cases can lead to complications affecting the heart and kidneys. The infection spreads easily through coughs and sneezes, making good hygiene and early treatment essential to prevent outbreaks
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