Parents should be on the look-out for any symptoms of scarlet fever in their children ? but there is no need to be overly concerned despite a number of suspected cases being reported to .

Senior Medical Officer Dr. Brenda Davidson said there has been no officially confirmed cases of the fever on the Island, although there may be some test results outstanding.

She said the disease is easily treated through modern medication and, even though it is a notifiable disease that by law GPs must report cases to the medical authorities, it is not something that people need to be overly concerned about.

Somerset grandmother Janice Swainson contacted after her three-year-old grandson was diagnosed with the fever and is now laid up in bed taking antibiotics and staying away from other children because of the fever?s contagious nature.

?In all my years I?ve never heard of it on the Island. The doctor has just given my grandson antibiotics and said to keep him away from people because it?s contagious,? said Mrs Swainson.

?A girl who works with my daughter said her daughter has scarlet fever too. How prevalent is it? Parents might not think it is anything other than a rash and not take their children to the doctor.?

Before the discovery of penicillin the fever had a more sinister reputation, but Dr. Davidson said it is now usually no more than a complicated sore throat and skin rash which is easily treated with medication.