Chickenpox is sweeping through an exclusive nursery school amid rumours that parents have held a 'chickenpox party' aimed at getting the illness out of the way in early childhood rather than later in life, when it could disrupt crucial examinations.
Of the 170 children at Braemar Hill Nursery School in North Point, 34 had been confirmed with chickenpox in the past six weeks, principal Stella Lu said yesterday. Of 45 children absent yesterday, 15 had chickenpox.
The two-storey nursery school, behind Braemar Hill shopping centre and next to several restaurants, is attended by children of well-off parents, including the daughter of Home Affairs Secretary Patrick Ho Chi-ping - one of the children who has fallen ill.
Mrs Lu said she was aware of a mother trying to organise a party where children could mingle to pass on the disease but did not know if it had been held. Chickenpox is mild in early childhood and one infection gives lifetime immunity.
'We received a call 10 to 14 days ago from a mother wanting the telephone numbers of other parents,' Mrs Lu said. 'The mother said her child had chickenpox and maybe some of his friends might want to come and join in so that they can all have chickenpox when they are young.'
Mrs Lu said that although she could not give out names for security reasons, she was powerless to stop parents from organising parties for whatever reason.