On April 29, 2015, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) confirmed a new case of rubella in a 48-year-old male inmate who resides in northern Taiwan. On April 10, he experienced runny nose and rash on the trunk. On April 17, when his symptoms persisted, he sought medical attention at a hospital and was isolated for treatment. On April 28, rubella infection was confirmed in the case. As of now, the case has been discharged and returned to the prison. Since the case had not recently traveled overseas, Taiwan CDC determined the case to be an indigenous case. The possible source of infection is still being investigated.

To prevent further transmission of the disease, the health authorities has implemented a number of prevention measures and identified 205 contacts, including his cellmates, prison workers, healthcare personnel and patients that he came into contact with when he sought medical attention, to monitor and follow up until May 8. Currently, none of the contacts has developed any suspected symptoms. The health authority has notified 195 of the contacts, while the other 10 contacts are being tracked down.

Thus far this year, a total of 4 rubella cases have been confirmed in Taiwan, including two imported cases (one from China and the other from an unknown origin) and two indigenous cases. During the same period last year, a total of 3 rubella cases, which were all imported, were confirmed. As 95% of the citizens in Taiwan have had the infection or been vaccinated against the disease and most infected individuals experience mild symptoms, the public does not need to panic over the case. However, if a pregnant woman who has no rubella antibodies becomes infected with rubella during early pregnancy, there is a chance she will pass the infection to her unborn child and a chance that the child will develop congenital rubella syndrome, resulting in fetal death, miscarriage or birth defects such as deafness, glaucoma, cataract, microcephaly, intellectual disability, heart disease and even death. Women of child-bearing age who are tested negative for rubella antibody during the pre-marital medical examination can receive a free dose of MMR vaccine when presenting the negative rubella antibody result at the local health station or a contracted hospital.

Rubella is a highly contagious disease. People who are infected with rubella are infectious from 1 week before and after the rash appears. It is transmitted through airborne droplet or close contact with the patient, but it is vaccine-preventable. If symptoms pertaining to rubella infection such as fever, fatigue, nasopharyngitis and obviously swollen lymph nodes behind the ears develop and are accompanied by generalized irregular papules, joint pain or arthritis, please put on a mask, seek immediate medical attention, and voluntarily inform the physician of relevant travel and exposure history. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).