Chickenpox outbreak at Penn State University

Three cases of chickenpox have been reported at Penn State University, causing the immediate release of a health warning on the campus. Students who show symptoms of the disease should isolate and contact health services. University officials said they have found the origin of the outbreak and are reaching out to close contacts of the infected persons. The risk of infection is deemed low, but students should take precautions to curb the spread. Chickenpox is highly contagious but generally mild, triggering an itchy rash with red spots and fluid-filled blisters on the chest, back, and face. However, it can have an extremely severe impact on pregnant women and immunocompromised persons. They can often develop pneumonia, bleeding disorders, and brain swelling, with fatal consequences. The disease can be prevented with two doses of the varicella vaccine, which is 97% effective against the virus. Those who have already had the disease are immune and reinfection is rare. Adults and children at a high risk of complications may need antiviral medications to reduce symptoms.
It is not the first time that Penn State has issued an alert over the disease. In 2015 potential cases were reported ahead of a dance marathon. The US started vaccinations against chickenpox in 1995, offering two doses to children at 12 to 15 months and four to six years of age. The results have been very effective, with less than 150,000 cases annually, although the number of vaccinated people started to decline a few years ago. In Pennsylvania, over 93% of children entering kindergarten have received both vaccine doses.