October 18, 2000
The Department of Health (DH) today (October 18) urges women of childbearing age to receive rubella vaccination at the Government maternal and child health centres or their family physicians if they have not done so.
DH's appeal was made following notification of the second case of congenital rubella syndrome this year affecting a baby boy born to a mother not immunised against rubella. His condition is fair.
A DH spokesman said: "Rubella is generally a mild disease and most patients recover uneventfully. However, the disease can be transmitted by contact with nasopharyngeal secretions of infected people and women infected during the first few months of pregnancy may give birth to babies with congenital abnormalities."
"It is therefore important that women of childbearing age receive vaccination as a preventive measure. Pregnant women should consult their doctor if they develop fever or rash, or come in contact with persons with rubella."
"Rubella patients are advised to stay at home until they have recovered from the illness."
In 1978, rubella vaccination was first given to primary six schoolgirls and women of childbearing age to prevent congenital rubella syndrome. From 1990, a combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine was offered to all male and female children at the age of one to help interrupt the circulation of the virus in the population and to build up herd immunity.
Since 1996, a second dose of MMR vaccine has been given to all children at primary one to further enhance the immunity in the community.
The spokesman said: "A single dose of rubella or MMR vaccine induces active immunity in over 95 per cent of the susceptible individuals."
"Since the introduction of the vaccination programme, the number of reported congenital rubella syndrome has dropped from 18 cases with four deaths in 1978, to zero to two cases per year with no death in the last eight years."
Up to September, the total number of rubella cases notified this year was 2 326, affecting mostly male aged between 20 and 39. The spread of the disease was controlled through vaccination and health advice on infected persons.