ASIA/VIETNAM - Six thousand people go down with German measles, alert in schools and factories

Rome (Fides Service) - Since the beginning of the year in Vietnam at least 6,000 people have caught German measles in various outbreaks in different places. The viral infection spreads swiftly in schools and factories.
According to Vietnam’s health authorities and the National Institute for Hygyene and Epidemiology the worst hit area in the industrial zone of Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon), where many workers live and sleep in dormitories.
Most of the people infected work in 30 of the 100 factories in the industrial area and in the last few days 28 reported new cases have been confirmed.
German measles or rubella is a viral disease contracted by breathing, usually dangerous only for pregnant mothers whose unborn could child be affected by congenital rubella which can cause blindness, deafness or retarded growth. The percentage of babies born with deficiencies varies between 50% and 70%.
(AP) (11/5/2006 Agenzia Fides; Righe:17; Parole:175)