There has been a more than 300 per cent rise in the recent cases of Rickets – a Victorian-era disease, that was assumed to have been wiped out by modern medicine. However, this bone-deforming childhood disease, which causes bones to become soft and weak, making them more likely to bend, break, and warp, has now seen a startling surge in areas like East Kent, in the last five years.

According to NHS statistics, the disease – caused by a lack of vitamin D or calcium in a child's diet, has recorded more than 100 cases every year since 2019 in East Kent Hospitals. But by 2023, that figure had swollen to more than 580 - a 380 per cent increase - according to a Freedom of Information request accessed by The Sun.

The figures show that 28,379 Brits were diagnosed with rickets between 2019 and 2023.

Health experts believe poverty and malnutrition could be factors that have significantly given rise to scurvy cases in East Kent, as some parts of Thanet - among the poorest in England. More than 20 per cent of the population here makes up the bottom 10 per cent of most deprived Brits.

However, doctors also believe that overflow in cases may also be down to medics getting better at spotting the Victorian disease. "We interpret that part of the increase is due to increased recognition and more accurate recording of rickets. Our neo-natal teams are robust in recommending vitamin D for babies at risk, including mothers who have low vitamin D. There is also increased awareness in our team to screen for vitamin D levels,” East Kent's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Des Holden told The Sun.

According to NHS figures, there has been a sharp increase in hospital admissions for a vitamin D deficiency - from 31,576 admissions in 2014 to 188,114 last year.

Rickets affect bone development in children, leading to pain, poor growth, and soft, weak bones that cause permanent deformities. According to doctors, even adults experience a similar condition - known as osteomalacia.

Apart from a deficiency of vitamin D doctors say genetic conditions also affect how your body handles phosphorus and cause rickets.

A few signs of the disease, include: