CAIRO: The Ministry of Education has said that 264 students contracted German measles in local schools. A Ministry of Health spokesperson was unavailable for comment. World Health Organization officials in Cairo were unable to respond to questions from The Daily Star Egypt at press time. German measles is caused by the Rubella virus, which lodges itself in the nasal and throat area, Dr Sara Adel, a dermatologist, explained "The virus spreads more among females under the age of 15 because they get close to each other while speaking or greeting each other, she said. More than 20 female students in Taba preparatory School in Giza got infected by the virus earlier this week. The virus is transmitted in the air when microscopic drops from the breath of someone who has contracted the virus make their way to the nose and throat of another, Adel explained. The virus has between two to three weeks gestation period. "After this period, the symptoms appear in two phases, Dr Adel said. 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 other parts of the body. "The virus may cause brain damage . although very rarely, but this is the [most extreme] complication of the virus, Adel said. Children usually take the anti-measles virus MMR Vaccine at the age of two.
