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Vaccine Preventable Diseases

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Varicella (Chickenpox) in Florida

Contact: Florida Health


August Key Points

83 Cases
1
outbreak
<1 year olds had
highest incidence
55% not up-to-date or
unknown vaccination status
A graph showing a summary of varicella cases reported by month in 2019 as compared to the previous 5-year average. In August 2019, 83 cases of varicella were reported, which is above the previous 5-year average.

The number of varicella cases reported in August increased from last month and was above the previous 5-year average. Due to robust vaccination programs, there is no longer a discernable seasonality for varicella cases in the United States.

A map showing the previous 3-month average varicella rates per 100,000 population. Counties with one or more cases reported in August are: Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Collier, Miami-Dade, DeSoto, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, St. Johns, Volusia. Counties with a rate of 0.1-0.3 per 100,000 population are: Alachua, Bay, Brevard, Citrus, Collier, Duval, Marion, Martin, Pasco, Pinellas, St. Johns, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter. Counties with a rate of 0.4-0.9 per 100,000 population are: Broward, Columbia, DeSoto, Miami-Dade, Escambia, Flagler, Gadsden, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jackson, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, St. Lucie, Santa Rosa, Volusia. Counties with a rate of 1.0-2.6 per 100,000 population are: Holmes, Taylor, Washington.

The 83 varicella cases in August were reported among the 23 counties outlined in black. From June through August 2019 the average county rate varied throughout the state.

A graph showing a summary of the total number of varicella cases reported by year with an emphasis on 2019. In total for each year there have been: 567 in 2014; 741 in 2015; 733 in 2016; 656 in 2017; 853 in 2018; and 671 in 2019.

From January 1, 2019 through August 31, 2019, 671 varicella cases were reported in 53 counties.

The annual number of reported varicella cases decreased from 2015 to 2017. Year-to-date cases counts as of August 2019 are higher than those seen at this time in previous years, as noted by the white bar in the figure.

A graph showing a bar graph of total cases compared to household associated cases and outbreak associated cases for August 2019 and the previous 3-month average.

In August, 17 (20%) of 83 total cases were associated with transmission within households and 11 (13%) were outbreak-associated. For most varicella cases, exposure to other known cases is never identified, and they are not able to be linked to outbreaks.

One varicella outbreak was reported in August. This outbreak was reported in a detention facility in Miami-Dade County and as of the end of August 2019, consists of 11 cases.

So far in 2019, only one varicella outbreak has been reported.

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