COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency says seven cases of chickenpox have been reported to the health department’s St. Joseph County office this past week.
This follows the seven confirmed Hillsdale County cases in January that were reported by the Michigan Disease Surveillance System.
Most of the cases involved school-age children.
Under Michigan law, all students have to be immunized with two doses of the Varicella vaccine.
District health officials say children who have not been vaccinated and have not had the disease should be vaccinated immediately with the first dose.
The second dose can administered at recommended intervals.
Officials say chickenpox is a highly contagious illness that is usually mild.
But it has the potential to cause severe complications in certain high-risk individuals. That group would include children with compromised immunity, pregnant women, and premature infants.
