Multiple elementary schools and daycare centers in Beihai City of Guangxi Province have seen an explosion of chickenpox among students since the end of last year. The 251 cases reported to date is a staggering 27 times greater than the case count during the same time period last year. Although the winter to spring season is the high-incidence period for chickenpox, this year’s spring has been especially cold and rainy, creating an environment especially conducive to the propagation of varicella-zoster virus. Furthermore, children have relatively weaker immune, and when they congregate in school, the chance of the virus spreading through direct contact or aerosolized spray greatly increases. Since mid-March, two schools have seen 14 and 15 cases, respectively, while the remaining cases have dispersed throughout the city.
