One person transmits infection to 13 others.. Warnings of a very dangerous disease faster than Corona
Although diseases such as influenza have disappeared in Australia during the Corona pandemic, one severe and highly contagious virus has remained stable, despite strict restrictions and social distancing.
According to a report published by "ABC", two days ago, more than 10,000 cases of herpes zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, were recorded in Queensland last year, and similar levels were seen in 2020.
The report stated that the virus has a reproduction number (R-value) of 13, which means that an infected person can transmit the virus to up to 13 other people, depending on immunity levels.
Queensland Health, a group of services aimed at achieving good health and well-being for all Queenslanders, said the virus can spread easily between people who have not had the disease or have not been vaccinated against it.
She added that she believes the numbers of chickenpox cases have remained high due to a range of reasons, including that young children are still learning basic hygiene practices.
Other illnesses have declined in Australia, with the number of flu cases dropping from 6,047 in 2020 to 296 last year.
Robert Bowie, an infectious disease expert at the University of Sydney, said the numbers showed how transmissible chickenpox is.
He explained: "The effective reproduction number can be between about 3 and 13... This means that one person can, on average, infect at least 3 others, possibly as high as 13. So our social and physical distancing efforts become ineffective in the face of A virus that is more contagious than the Corona virus.
Chickenpox is transmitted through close contact, either through air or direct contact with fluid from the blisters it causes.
Claire Walker, GP and secretary of the Queensland Rural Physicians Association, said it was important for people, especially pregnant women, to check their chickenpox vaccination status.
She added: "It's been around for a long time and will always be with us, probably, for a long time now. It's not a disease that we might get rid of. For older children or teens and young adults, there are some who didn't get chickenpox and didn't get vaccinated when they were young." I always recommend just seeing your GP, who can take a look at your history.”
Claire Walker urged people to make sure their vaccines were up-to-date, warning that the disease could have serious consequences for those without immunity.
"In adults, they can get encephalitis, and they can get vicious pneumonia, which can be fatal," she said.
When a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the nerves near the spine, and as a person gets older, they can raise their head in the form of painful, debilitating shingles.
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