Travelling to Japan
1st August 2019
Travelling to Japan for the Rugby World Cup? Bring back good memories; don’t bring back rubella!
There is an ongoing rubella outbreak in Japan.
Travelers to Japan should make sure they are vaccinated against rubella with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine before travel.
What is rubella?
Rubella is an infectious disease caused by the rubella virus. Most people who get rubella usually have a mild illness, with symptoms that can include a low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
Rubella can cause a miscarriage or serious birth defects in a developing baby if a woman is infected while she is pregnant. The best protection against rubella is MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine.
Ireland has been declared free of rubella by World Health Organization (WHO).
If you have any queries please contact your GP