Danniella Westbrook made a trip to the hospital this week and doctors have warned that if she didn’t go she would have had a heart attack.

The EastEnders actress took to Instagram on Thursday (December 8) to update her followers on the hospital visit.

On her Instagram stories, Westbrook wrote: “Septics, strep A and constant temperature off 39.8”

Alongside a hands-together emoji, she also shared a warning she received from her doctors, writing: “Huge thank you to whipps cross and the nhs. Who have managed to get me stabilised. They informed me if I’d of left it till the morning I would of had a heart. Attack the pressure on my chest was so bad”

The actress also posted a picture of herself to Instagram, explaining to followers that “Whips cross just saved my life”.

She wrote: “Whips cross just saved my life and I am forever grateful. If you have this flu bug and tight chest ring an ambulance I was hours away from a cardiac arrest my chest was so tight . Now I need complete bed rest for a few days #blessed”

Westbrook’s diagnosis comes as a deadly Strep A outbreak has been reported with a number of schoolchildren dying from the illness.

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What is Strep A?

Group A streptococcus (or Strep A) is known to cause scarlet fever, throat infections and, in very rare cases, invasive disease.

This can occur when bacteria get into parts of the body where bacteria are not usually found, such as the blood, muscles or lungs.

It can happen if the bacteria get past a person’s defences, such as through an open wound or when a person’s immune system is depleted.

Most people who come into contact with the bacteria remain well and symptom-free.