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Yesterday The Yomiuri Simbun issued a warning against the outbreak of rubella. In the Kanto region officials see the sharp rise in rubella cases, which leads, among other complications, to hearing loss in infants.

 

The occurrence of rubella cases is increasing in Chiba prefecture and other Kanto areas. For this reason, for the first time in five years the Ministry of Labor and Welfare has issued an official notification to regional administrations calling for implementation of preventive measures such as vaccination. The danger of virus spread especially increases throughout the country during the holidays season. 

 

According to the statistics of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the number of cases at the time of August this year reached 96 people, which is higher than the number for the whole of last year, which amounted to 93 people.

 

The greatest number of cases is observed in Chiba prefecture: 26 people, followed by Tokyo: 19 people. The majority of patients (70%) are adult men aged 30-50. Experts assume that this age bracket can be explained by a low level vaccination coverage during the childhood of the patients. 

 

Signs and symptoms of rubella develop around 2-3 weeks after exposure to the virus and are manifested by moderate fever, skin rashes and the lymph nodes swelling. Infection caught in the first trimester of pregnancy often leads to damage to the organs of hearing and vision in the fetus, the danger expectants mothers should be aware of and be ready to take special precautions.

 

The official notification has been released for the first time since 2013, when the number of cases reached 14 thousand people. Healthcare facilities are also called upon to provide the necessary assistance to patients who demonstrate symptoms such as skin rash and fever, given the likelihood of rubella.