Chickenpox: Over 3000 children were admitted to hospital in England last year

More than 3000 young people under 18 were admitted to hospital with chickenpox in England last year, new data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show.1Children aged 5 and under bore the brunt of the illness, accounting for over 70% of all clinical chickenpox reports made to regional UKHSA health protection teams in 2025.The highest rates of hospital admission were seen in the youngest children: those aged under 1 had the greatest peak admission rates of 5.8 per 100 000, which compared with 2.3 per 100 000 in 1-4 year olds.While chickenpox usually gets better on its own,2 the infection can lead to more serious complications such as chest infections and fits3 that require hospital treatment.The UKHSA said that the figures captured “only a fraction” of the true national burden of chickenpox, as many parents did not seek medical advice or treatment for mild illness. Across a small sample…