ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — Grenada health authorities Tuesday confirmed that an outbreak of Chicken Pox at a primary school has forced the closure of the school for at least one week.

“The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development further advises that any and all siblings of students who attend the St George’s Anglican Junior School should also remain at home, regardless which school those siblings attend, as a precautionary measure,” the ministry said in a statement.

The advisory said that 17 cases of chicken pox were diagnosed among the students at the school, which is located in the heart of the city.

“In this regard, the Chief Medical Officer has advised that the school be closed for the period Tuesday 23rd to Friday 26th February, 2016, so as to facilitate monitoring of all students, and treatment of those affected,” said the advisory which also appealed to parents and guardians to observe this advisory and to report any new cases, inclusive of adults in the home, to their nearest healthcare provider.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Francis Martin said that chicken pox is caused by the herpes varicella-zoster virus and is spread by droplets from a sneeze or cough or by contact with the clothing, bed linens or oozing blisters of an infected person.

He said that the infection starts with a fever and headache and it’s at that stage the virus can be extremely contagious. The onset of symptoms is 10 to 21 days after exposure.

The most commonly recognised chickenpox symptom is a spotty, blistering red rash that can cover the entire body very rapidly including the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.