Japan remains in the grip of rubella infec­tions (Ger­man measles) with the dis­ease spread­ing rapidly, and the National Insti­tute of Infec­tious Dis­eases reports that 5,442 peo­ple were diag­nosed with rubella dur­ing January-April 2013.

The infec­tions are 34 times more than that of the same period in 2012, the Insti­tute said, adding that the num­ber of new infec­tions had been ris­ing by more than 500 per week since the begin­ning of April 2013.

Nearly 90% of the patients are aged 20 or above, most of them men in their 20s to 40s or women in their 20s.

Health author­i­ties are call­ing for cau­tion, as babies born to women who con­tract the dis­ease dur­ing early preg­nancy may develop severe eye, ear, or heart prob­lems. Adults are urged to get vac­ci­nated, as the dis­ease is likely to peak around June, reported on 8 May 2013.

The full arti­cle may be accessed at http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20130508.1699530

(ProMED 5/8/2013)

The num­ber of rubella patients in Japan has been ris­ing at an alarm­ing rate. Researchers at the National Insti­tute of Infec­tious Dis­eases say 375 peo­ple were newly diag­nosed with rubella, or Ger­man measles, in the week that ended on 31 March 2013. They say the num­ber has been ris­ing by a record high rate of more than 300 in each of the six weeks since late Feb­ru­ary 2013. They say that from Jan­u­ary to March 2013, 2,905 peo­ple were diag­nosed with the dis­ease — 25 times more than 2012.

By area, Tokyo had the most patients at 111, fol­lowed by Kana­gawa Pre­fec­ture with 60 and Hyogo Pre­fec­ture with 42. Nearly 90% of the patients are in their 20s or older. Many in that age group have not been vaccinated.

Babies born to women who con­tract the dis­ease dur­ing early preg­nancy may develop severe eye, ear or heart prob­lems. Com­mon symp­toms include fever and rashes. The virus can spread through cough­ing or sneezing.

A senior researcher at the insti­tute, Keiko Taya, says rubella epi­demics usu­ally peak in June or July. Taya says infec­tions may spread to the Tohoku region in north­east Japan and the Shikoku region in west­ern Japan, where few cases have been reported. She sug­gests that women who want to give birth get inoculated.

A video clip on rubella out­break in Japan avail­able at http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature201303282116.html

(NHK World 4/9/2013)