usual.

Last month there were 66 cases of the disease which mainly afflicts children.

One Paget doctor said he had to deal with some 30 youngsters hit by chickenpox over the last two weeks.

Consultant paediatrician Dr. Peter Perinchief pointed out he had not experienced so many cases in the last five or six years.

He also knew of adults -- parents of his patients -- who had caught the highly contagious disease.

Chickenpox, common among children, is a far more serious disease for adults.

There is no vaccine for it.

Nurse epidemiologist Miss Rhonda Daniels said chickenpox was common in winter.

"We have seen a lot of cases, but it is that time of year.'' Miss Daniels revealed there were 66 reported cases up to the end of January.

"I wouldn't say we have an epidemic.'' She said said adults could be affected by chickenpox pneumonia, a potentially serious affliction. There had been cases of adults dying from it.

Some pre-schools revealed children had come down with chickenpox recently.

St. George's Pre-school said two of its youngsters were affected in January.

"We don't have anyone with it right now,'' a spokeswoman said.

The Royal Gazette also received reports that some pharmacies were running out of a medication to ease pain and irritation brought on by chickenpox.

Last night Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann said he was unaware of a chickenpox epidemic.

"I am not aware of any serious outbreak, certainly nothing unusual over the past few weeks.'' Dr. Perinchief said chickenpox, which causes itchy skin lesions, was not a serious affliction. "It is extremely common. Most people get it as children.'' He said he tended not to treat children with chickenpox -- unless they had "serious underlying medical problems''.

"Frankly it's far better children catch chickenpox and get it over with.'' Dr. Perinchief noted chickenpox was very contagious. It had a long incubation period -- between 14 and 21 days.

Sneezing, which released lots of droplets, was a common way of spreading chickenpox. Dr. Perinchief said the effects of the illness generally lasted about 10 days.

He added chickenpox generally came in cycles. Bermuda had not been hit greatly by it in recent years in his experience.

He explained "field trials'' were being carried out in the United States on a possible chickenpox vaccine.

The idea of routine immunisation of children was being toyed with. "The jury is still out, however,'' said Dr. Perinchief.