Experts warn parents about the highly contagious and serious nature of chickenpox.

Chickenpox is a highly contagious illness caused by the varicella zoster virus that can cause up to 500 itchy blisters that dry up and form scabs in four or five days. It can be particularly serious in babies, adults, and people with weak immune systems. Chickenpox can lead to complications such as pneumonia, bacterial infections of the skin, myocarditis, and encephalitis, and can even be deadly in rare cases. The virus spreads mostly through close contact with people who have the virus, and if one person has the virus, up to 90% of the people close to that person who haven’t been vaccinated or previously had the virus will also become infected. Experts stress the importance of preventing chickenpox through vaccination.