Rare bacterial infection leaves 12 dead in Essex

NHS says outbreak of invasive group A streptococcus began in Braintree and has spread

Twelve people have died from a rare bacterial infection that has spread in Essex, the NHS has said.

There have been 32 reported cases of the disease, called invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS). The NHS Mid Essex clinical commissioning group said the outbreak started in Braintree and had spread to the Chelmsford and Maldon areas, but did not give a timeline for this. Public Health England said it was a "local incident".