Case Of Chicken Pox Reported At SK Elementary School

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Just a few days into the school year, an elementary school student in South Kingstown has been diagnosed with varicella, better known as chicken pox. The student is a fourth grader at Matunuck Elementary School, The Rhode Island Department of Health said.

In a public notice to health care providers, the department said that students in the third and fourth grades and the children who ride the same bus to and from the school are considered exposed to the disease. A letter will be sent to all parents of exposed children explaining the situation.

Chicken pox is a very contagious disease, spread through sneezing or coughing in to the air or coming into contact with skin blisters, the department said. Symptoms include aching, fever and sore throat, followed by a red, itchy rash with or without blisters.

The best way to prevent the spread of the disease is through vaccination, the department continued. The letter to parents said children who never received a vaccination or only received one early in life should see their doctor to get up-to-date on immunizations as soon as possible. Children with documented proof of vaccinations are considered immune, and no further action is required. However, vaccinated students who develop a rash-like illness should be checked out by their doctor before returning to school.

According to data from the Department of Health, all but one of the school's 25 kindergarteners were fully vaccinated during the 2018-19 school year, a 96 percent vaccination rate.

Healthcare providers in the area are advised to be extra watchful for chicken pox symptoms in Matunuck Elementary students, especially those in the third and fourth grades.