On March 16, 2016, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced this year’s first rubella cluster caused by an imported case. The newly confirmed case is a 48-year-old female who is the sister of this year’s first imported case (40-year-old Taiwanese businessman) that was announced on February 26, 2016. The new case is this year’s second confirmed case of rubella infection. She developed symptoms during the self-health management period and immediately sought medical attention at a hospital. Infection with rubella was later confirmed in the case. As of now, the case has recovered and been removed from isolation.

The 40-year-old Taiwanese businessman returned to Taiwan from China on January 30, 2106 for the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. He stayed at the same house with 6 other family members, including the new case. The new case was one of the contacts to be monitored and followed up until March 7, 2016. However, she developed symptoms such as sore throat and rash on February 29 and sought medical attention on her own at a hospital. Rubella infection was then confirmed in the case. During the infectious period, she stayed home and had not visited other places. To prevent further transmission of the disease, the health authorities has implemented a number of prevention measures and identified 741 contacts, including her family members, healthcare personnel and patients that she came into contact with when she sought medical attention, to monitor and follow up until March 28. 610 of the contacts have been followed up and 131 of them are being followed up. 4 of the contacts are pregnant women and they were found to have rubella antibodies during the prenatal examination. Currently, one of the contacts has developed suspected symptoms and the health authority has arranged for the contact to receive medical attention.

Thus far this year, a total of 3 rubella cases, including 2 imported cases (one from China and one from Hong Kong) and 1 indigenous case, were confirmed. 95% of the citizens in Taiwan have had the infection or been vaccinated against the disease and most infected individuals experience mild symptoms. 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. Hence ,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.　

Taiwan CDC advises travelers determine the need for rubella vaccination 2 to 4 weeks prior to their trip. In addition, Taiwan CDC reminds travelers visiting affected areas to heighten vigilance, pay attention to personal hygiene, wash hands frequently, avoid touching mouth and nose, and wearing a mask while visiting crowded places. 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 Care Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).