Rubella Spreading at Faster Pace in Japan

September 4, 2018

Tokyo- The number of rubella patients reported by medical institutions in Japan in the week through Aug. 26 stood at 84, nearly twice the 47 reported for the preceding week, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases said Tuesday.

The cumulative number of patients since the beginning of the year came to 273, which is almost three times the 93 for the whole of last year, the institute said.

Warning that the infectious disease may spread further, the health ministry urged people to consider vaccination if they have never contracted rubella or been inoculated.

Patients in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures--Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama--accounted for over 70 pct of the year-to-date total. The number of patients stood at 84 in Chiba, 72 in Tokyo, 24 in Kanagawa and 18 in Saitama.

Elsewhere, Hiroshima had 10 cases, Aichi and Fukuoka nine, and Hokkaido and Hyogo seven.

Of all the patients this year, 215, or nearly 80 pct, were men. Many were in their 30s or 40s and most of them were not sure whether they were vaccinated. Female patients totaled 58.

If a pregnant woman is infected with rubella, there is a risk her baby may be born with disorders. Two doses of the vaccination can increase the preventive effect, but pregnant women cannot be vaccinated. Jiji Press