Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Grandparents holding grandchild
Grandparents holding grandchild - Credit: monkeybusiness / DepositPhotos
Health
chickenpox
Nivel
school closures
social distancing
pandemic years
De Volkskrant
Sunday, 15 May 2022 - 08:15
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Big increase in chickenpox cases among children

A striking number of children have recently contracted chickenpox. Research Institute Nivel announced that four to five times as many children will get chickenpox this year as in the first months of 2021, based on general practitioner data. 

The research findings mainly include children between the ages of zero and four, but children between the ages of five and 15 are also affected. The disease is much more common than a year ago, Children in this age bracket are falling ill with the infection up to twice as often.

Nivel estimates that this may be partially due to a "catch-up effect" following the pandemic years. Due to all the Covid-19 measures, from school closures to social distancing rules, many infectious diseases hardly occurred in 2020 and 2021. With the relaxation of restrictions at the beginning of this year, those diseases have more opportunities to spread. 

There are now about 150 confirmed cases of chickenpox per 100,000 inhabitants every week among the youngest children. The researchers rely on registrations from hundreds of family physicians. Many parents also allow their children to get sick at home without the assistance of a general practitioner.

Chickenpox is caused by a virus. It is usually a harmless childhood disease, but serious complications can arise on rarer occasions. In general, children mainly suffer from an itchy rash with blisters. Adults who contract chickenpox are at greater risk for additional problems.

Pediatricians told Volkskrant on Wednesday that they have seen more children infected with a Group A streptococcus bacteria recently. Chickenpox can increase the chance of such an infection. These types of bacteria are also usually relatively harmless, but in rare cases the infection can lead to very serious symptoms.

Something similar happened with the RS virus last summer. It was suppressed during the winter by the Covid-19 measures, but spread in the summer when the measures were already largely relaxed.

Reporting by ANP

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Oranje Lionesses one step closer to World Cup with 3-0 Belarus victory
  • Total leadership change needed at incident-plagued Dutch national police unit: Report
  • No jewelry found on suspects arrested for Tefaf armed robbery: report
  • MP's propose harsher punishments for hate crimes
  • Caribbean Netherlands braces for tropical storm Bonnie with curfew, closed schools
  • Farmers protests increasingly radical, police say; Coalition party demands debate

Top stories

  • Caribbean Netherlands braces for tropical storm Bonnie with curfew, closed schools
  • Farmers protests increasingly radical, police say; Coalition party demands debate
  • Angry farmers break through police barricade at Minister's house
  • Necklace worth €27 million snatched in Tefaf Maastricht art fair robbery: Report
  • Covid hospital patient total jumps 17 percent; New infections rise by 29 percent
  • Small plane crashes in Flevoland lake; Rescuers working to save victims

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content