Infectious disease confirmed

STUDENTS with chickenpox have been told to stay home after Toowoomba State High School issued an alert to parents and carers confirming a case this week.

The school said the viral and highly contagious illness had been confirmed and any sick students must stay home for five days after a rash associated with the condition appeared.

It’s one of more than 300 confirmed cases across the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service this year, and students have been urged to stay home for five days until the blisters scab over.

“Students suffering chickenpox need to be excluded from school for at least five days after the rash first appears or until dry scabs have replaced all the blisters,” the school said.

Darling Downs Public Health Unit director Dr Penny Hutchinson said chickenpox was a common disease in children for which vaccination was the most effective preventative measure.

Other symptoms include headaches, runny noses and a cough, before the rash develops leading to blisters.

“It usually starts off with a flu-like illness and then get the blisters,” Dr Hutchinson said.

“Chickenpox itself can be spread by coughing and sneezing, particularly in the early stages, but if you come into contact with the liquid in the blisters you can transmit it as well.”

Dr Hutchinson said the disease, which can last up to two weeks, posed a risk to pregnant women as it could affect the foetus, leading to the baby being born with abnormalities.

She urged anyone women with concerns to seek medical advice.

“It’s a very common childhood illness and while we don’t see it as much it doesn’t mean it will disappear,” Dr Hutchinson said.