ASHEVILLE — The number of children diagnosed with chickenpox at a private school in Asheville has increased, Buncombe County health officials said Monday.

There are now 28 cases of chickenpox at Asheville Waldorf School, located in West Asheville. That's up from 13 cases — 12 of whom are students and another a child in the community — when the Health and Human Services Department announced the outbreak last week.

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Buncombe officials declined to release the name of the school, a department practice for both private and public schools. Administrators are not required to report chickenpox incidents under state law, though local health officials encourage notification to help prevent outbreaks.

In a statement Monday, Asheville Waldorf said it provided all necessary information to the health department.

"Varicella is not classified as a dangerous disease by the state of North Carolina," the statement said. "Asheville Waldorf School is committed to protecting the health and safety of our community."

The county encouraged residents to get vaccinated against chickenpox, saying that while it usually is not a serious illness, young children and people with compromised immune systems can suffer complications as severe as infections and even death.

Buncombe said it offers immunizations at its clinic at 53 S. French Broad Ave. The clinic is open from 8-5 p.m. weekdays.

More information can be found at buncombecounty.org/immunize or by calling the clinic at 828-250-5096.

Asheville Waldorf, formerly known as Azalea Mountain School, was founded in 2009. It serves students from nursery to 6th grade.

The most recent tax form available shows the school in 2015 served some 130 students.