Chickenpox Outbreak Forces School Class Closures in Myanmar's Karenni State

Chickenpox Outbreak Forces School Class Closures in Myanmar's Karenni State

A chickenpox outbreak at a school in Demoso Township, Karenni State, has infected roughly 30 students and a teacher, forcing the temporary closure of kindergarten and first-grade classes, local educators reported.

The outbreak began on August 15 at a school in Loi Nan Pha village, in western Demoso, and quickly spread across multiple classrooms.

Children under the age of 10 have been the hardest hit, with more than half of the kindergarten class contracting the virus.

"One teacher was infected and had to take a full week off. Children with chickenpox are being instructed to stay home," a local teacher said, noting symptoms including itchy, fluid-filled blisters across the face, neck, back, and hands.

While teachers have promised make-up lessons to help recovering students keep up with their studies, healthcare resources in the area remain sparse. Mobile health teams visit the remote village only once a month, though some affected children have received treatment at nearby clinics.

The outbreak remains unresolved as local educators and health workers struggle to contain further transmission.

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