The Health Bureau (SSM) announced earlier this week that from January 1 to May 6, it recorded 195 cases of chickenpox, nearly double the 105 cases recorded during the same period last year.
About three-quarters of the cases involve children, with patients aged eight to 17 accounting for 65.1 percent of the total number of cases, while those aged seven and below made up only 6.1 percent. There have been no reports of severe or fatal cases, the statement noted.
Chickenpox, also called varicella, is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It primarily affects children but can also occur in adults who have not been previously infected or vaccinated.
According to mandatory infectious disease surveillance data cited by the statement, the number of chickenpox cases showed an increasing trend last week, rising from an average of 12 cases per week since April 6 to 23 cases last week, an increase from the same period last year. Recently, Pui Ching Middle School reported a chickenpox cluster event involving a total of 21 students. These patients began showing symptoms such as rashes and small blisters, starting on May 1. All patients have received treatment, with no severe or other serious complications reported, and most patients have already received one dose of the chickenpox vaccine.
In light of this significant infection-induced cluster event, the Health Bureau has intensified infection control measures, including on-site inspections, cleaning and disinfection, maintaining indoor air circulation, and strictly enforcing regulations for affected students and staff to adhere to school suspension requirements.