Chicken pox hits 90 kids in South Africa

A chicken pox outbreak has struck a school in South Africa, with 93 pupils and a teacher being affected by the disease.

The department of health and social development has asked the Koedoeskop Primary in northern Limpopo province on the Zimbabwe border to shut its doors after the disease broke out, BuaNews reported Wednesday.
"As soon as this came to our attention, we advised the school to send pupils home in order to avoid any further spread," said provincial spokesperson Cecil Motsepe.

Chicken pox is a contagious illness caused by infection from varicella zoster virus. Symptoms include red itchy spots which turn into blisters. Following primary infection, there is usually life-long immunity from further chicken pox infections.

"Chicken pox is now believed to be the cause of one-third of stroke cases in children," the department said, urging anyone with chicken pox symptoms to rush to the nearest clinic for immediate treatment.

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