THE permanent secretary for the Ministry of Health, Dr Salanieta Saketa says anyone with a fever and rash or anyone who thinks they may have rubella should visit their nearest health centre and avoid all contact with pregnant women.
She confirmed there were a total of 28 confirmed cases of rubella, of which 26 were males from the greater Suva area and added that the ages of these victims ranged between 18 to 32 years. Rubella is an infectious viral illness of humans whose infections in children and adults are mostly mild but an infection in women during the early stages of pregnancy can cause serious birth defects or miscarriage.
The infection is spread by coming in close contact with people who have rubella particularly if they are coughing or sneezing and symptoms include a mild fever, rash, runny nose, sore throat and often swollen lymph nodes. Aching joints are also common says Dr Saketa.
"If a pregnant woman has a rash and fever or thinks she may have rubella she should inform her clinic doctor as soon as possible. It is important to let the staff at the clinic know immediately so they can keep you away from other pregnant women."
In Fiji, women born after 1964 were immunised against rubella at 11 years of age but from 2004 onwards, all children were immunised against rubella when they were one-year old and again with a combined measles-rubella vaccine when they reached class one.
Dr Saketa says the primary goal of the immunisation program is to prevent congenital rubella syndrome as rubella infection in pregnant women during the first three months of pregnancy can result in the baby being born with birth defects or congenital rubella syndrome.
"These birth defects include heart defects, deafness, brain damage, and eye problems including cataracts," Dr Saketa added.