In Bishkek, 969 cases of chickenpox have been registered, according to the Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance. This number is 2.2 times higher than in 2023 when there were 440 cases, with 78.7% of the cases occurring in children under 14 years old.
Chickenpox is an acute, highly contagious infectious disease transmitted through the air and caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is characterized by the appearance of a rash in the form of small blisters on the skin and mucous membranes.
The disease primarily affects children aged 1 to 10 years, with the highest incidence among children aged 3-4 years. Infants under 6 months are less likely to contract chickenpox as they receive immunity from their mothers through the placenta and breast milk.
The only source of infection is an infected person, and susceptibility to the virus is very high. Infected individuals become contagious 48 hours before the rash appears and remain contagious until the fifth day after the last rash element appears.
Symptoms include fever of 38-39 degrees Celsius, weakness, decreased appetite, and headache, accompanied by the appearance of the rash. The fever lasts 3-5 days, with each new eruption accompanied by a rise in body temperature.
Initially, red spots appear, which within a few hours turn into papules, then into blisters, and after 1-2 days, a crust remains at the site of the rash. The illness lasts 2-3 weeks, with crusts falling off after 10-12 days.
After recovering from the disease, lifelong immunity is developed.
Preventive measures include isolating the sick individual, followed by ventilation and humid cleaning of the premises. In childcare facilities, a 21-day quarantine is imposed from the moment of contact, during which the admission of new children and transfers between groups or classes are prohibited. Morning examinations of all children are conducted, and those identified as sick are kept away from the facility and parents are notified.
