Do people live or die when they have chickenpox?

People rarely die of chickenpox. In the United States, on average, 1 or 2 people die each year from complications related to chickenpox, mostly in children younger than 5 years. However, chickenpox can be more dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or those taking certain medicines that weaken the immune system. Chickenpox is a very contagious virus that causes an itchy rash, flu-like symptoms, and fatigue. While it is usually not a severe illness, it can be fatal in rare cases.