Chickenpox alert after weekend event
A warning has been issued to attendees of the New Zealand Land Wars commemorations after a chickenpox outbreak in seven children.
In an emailed statement, Taranaki medical officer of health Dr Jonathan Jarman said the region’s Public Health Unit was alerted to the outbreak on Labour Day and was now warning there could be further cases.
He said the children were from a school group.
Organisers of Te Pu¯ take o Te Riri, He Ra¯ Maumahara – a three-day national initiative to mark the nation’s land wars said the children were from a group that attended an event on Sunday and were not at the main event held at Waitara’s Owae Marae on Monday. Attendees at Monday’s event were notified of the outbreak.
Jarman said chickenpox was highly infectious and it was possible that people who had never had the disease may have been exposed at the commemorations in Waitara. ‘‘Although most cases of chickenpox are mild and children make a full recovery, sometimes it can lead to serious complications.’’
Pregnant women, newborns and people who have never had chickenpox, and attended the commemorations on Sunday, should see their doctor immediately before they get sick, he said.
The virus is spread through the air by infected people when they sneeze or cough, and by touching the chickenpox blisters then touching objects or other people.
Chickenpox usually clears up within three to seven days for adults, and five to 10 days for children. Immunity is usually life long.
Chickenpox vaccination is part of the National Immunisation Schedule and is funded for children at 15 months and 11 years of age.