Rubella Patients in Japan Jump 25-Fold from 2017

December 4, 2018

Tokyo--The number of rubella patients reported in Japan between Jan. 1 and Nov. 25 totaled 2,313, nearly 25 times the figure for the whole of last year, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases said Tuesday.

In the week through Nov. 25, the reported number of patients stood at 113, exceeding 100 for the 12th straight week.

In 2017, the number of rubella patients totaled 93.

Among Japan's 47 prefectures, Tokyo saw the largest year-to-date number of patients, at 795, followed by Chiba at 327, Kanagawa at 314, Saitama at 157, and Aichi at 104.

If pregnant women become infected with the disease, their babies have a risk of being born with disorders such as hearing loss, heart disease and cataract. The institute is urging those who are uncertain whether they have been infected or vaccinated to take antibody tests or receive vaccination.