B.C. health authorities are warning that group A strep was identified in four children who have died since mid-December, and the province is seeing unusually high levels of the disease this winter.

Strep infections are most well known for causing strep throat, which can be treated with antibiotics. But this type of bacteria can also cause more serious illnesses—even flesh-eating infections.

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a bacteria about 25% of pregnant women carry. It's rare for babies to get GBS disease from their mothers during labor, but it can be very harmful. So healthcare ...