Several students at schools across the country contracted German measles. Reem Leila tracks the virus down Reports emerged last month that 300 students in Cairo and Giza have fallen ill with German measles. Eventually it was reported that the virus spread to schools in the New Valley, Alexandria and Ismailiya, bringing the total to 3,000 cases. Although known to be a mild disease, it is highly contagious and can be contracted at any age. Deputy Minister of Education Abdel-Samie Hamza, however, played down reports of a breakout, saying that reported infections were merely normal seasonal maladies. "It is Spring, which is full of such diseases," Hamza said in an official statement on Sunday. He noted that only one school was shut down because it was a boarding school with one case of German measles recorded. "Other schools with infected students were not closed; sick students just stayed home," according to Hamza. The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) confirmed in a news conference on Saturday that only one school was shutdown, but noted that some 3,000 cases of German measles, or rubella, were reported three weeks ago. At the same time, MOHP Spokesman Abdel-Rahman Shaheen assured that "German measles infections are now under control and the number of infected students is clearly decreasing." Rubella is generally milder than measles and is caused by a different virus. German measles is sometimes confused with other diseases, most notably measles and smallpox, because all three have almost the same symptoms. An infection with German measles can pass unnoticed which makes the virus difficult to diagnose. The main risk from rubella is to the fetus, especially during early pregnancy when congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) is likely to occur. This can cause abnormalities in the fetus such as cataracts, deafness, damage to the central nervous system, mental retardation and physical defects. An abortion is often advised. The virus usually enters the body through the nose or throat, and lasts between one to five days. Like most viruses living along the respiratory tract, it is passed from person to person by tiny droplets in the air that are breathed out. "The virus has an incubation period of two to three weeks during which it becomes established," stated Shaheen. The first phase is distinguished by fever, fatigue and loss of appetite, while the second phase includes a rash that starts on the face and then spreads throughout the body. "The virus may cause brain damage, although very rarely, but this is the [most extreme] complication of the virus," explained Shaheen. Children tend to recover from the infection more quickly than adults. Health officials advised that a rubella victim should get much rest, drink lots of liquids and take fever-reducing medication. But many parents are wondering if vaccines are still necessary. Nasr El-Sayed, MOHP undersecretary for the Preventive Affairs Division told Al-Ahram Weekly that vaccines are necessary, because several of the diseases that vaccines prevent have almost disappeared, or occur in low numbers. Many parents of young children today have never seen a case of measles, mumps, German measles, polio, diphtheria or tetanus, noted El-Sayed. "If we don't see these diseases, it can be hard to understand why it is still important to protect against them," he explained. "But without vaccines, epidemics of vaccine- preventable diseases could return, putting the health of our children and the community at higher risk." He added that the rubella virus spreads more among females under the age of 15 because they get close to each other while speaking or greeting each other. As age progresses, so do the dangers of German measles, hence MOHP is allocating LE250 million of its budget to vaccines. The vaccine for German measles has been mandatory for a decade among the measles, meningitis, rubella (MMR) group. "People are not advised to take the German measles vaccine for the time being, since they might already be carriers which would cause serious side effects," according to El-Sayed. "Only infants and children who are scheduled to take the inoculation are allowed to get the MMR vaccine."
