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Schools may receive antibiotic deliveries as the death toll from Strep A infections continues to rise.
Another child was reported dead this morning after contracting the bacteria, bringing the death toll to nine.
The Belfast primary school student died following severe illness, for which she received hospital treatment.
Strep A, which causes diseases like scarlet fever and strep throat, is now prompting officials to consider new guidelines.
Schools minister Nick Gibb said the Government could give schools their own supplies of antibiotics.
Speaking on GB news, he said the move was an “option” after the issue was raised in the House of Lords on Monday.
Mr Gibb said that there was an “ongoing situation” expressed by health and social care Parliamentary undersecretary Lord Nick Markham.
Lord Markham said the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) is “monitoring the position and are considering those kind of issues in those schools”.
Mr Gibb added: “This is an ongoing situation, the UKHSA are involved very closely with those schools and they will be providing further advice later on.
“But [antibiotics] may well be an option for those particular schools where there is an infection.”
The UKHSA, which is responsible for guidance on scarlet fever outbreaks, said antibiotic medication can be used to prevent the disease.
But decisions must be made on “a case-by-case basis” in tandem with local outbreak control teams (OCTs).
The agency said there is “no good evidence of (antibiotics’) effectiveness in routine outbreak control in this setting”.
Their use would only come in the most demanding situations, such as with severe infections.
UKHSA guidance adds: “It can be considered in exceptional circumstances by the OCT, for example when there are reports of severe outcomes, or hospitalisations.
“In school and nursery settings, antibiotic chemoprophylaxis is not routinely recommended for contacts of non-invasive (Group A streptococcus) GAS infection.”
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