An email from CL that there is a rubella outbreak in the Klang Valley which has been blacked out so as not to spoil the Merdeka anniversary celebrations.

Can the authorities in particular the Health Minister and the University of Malaya Vice Chancellor respond?

CL’s email:

There is an outbreak of rubella in the Klang Valley and possibly nationwide as well. Apparently this had been going on for the past two months but the power-that-be has chose to keep the news blacked out because of the impending 50th anniversary Merdeka celebration. The outbreak also occurred in the UM campus and the recently concluded convocation was almost marred. News of the outbreak in the campus only came out lately, in fact only a few days back. It is not immediately known how many students had been infected to date. However, official news of the outbreak has caused anger and anxiety among the “warga kampus”.

Rubella in the adults and adolescents is mild with nothing more than a flu-like illness with fever lasting a few days and associated with muscle aches and joint pains. Its mild nature cannot be said if an expectant mother who has no immunity, contracts rubella in the first 3 months of her pregnancy. The unborn foetus has a high risk of developing various abnormalities : small brain, cataracts, deafness, heart defects, mental retardation, etc.

Because of the non-specific symptoms, most cases of rubella are diagnosed as a viral illness. The rash over the body and enlarged lymph glands behind the ears are typical but can be easily missed if not specifically looked for. The rash is very faint and lasts no more than 48 hours and often missed in the dark skinned. Hence many infected persons are not aware that that they are infected. This is a highly infectious disease and an infected person can transmit the infection (airborne spread) from one week before till at least 4 days after onset of the rash. This implies that by the time the index case is diagnosed, he/she would have transmitted to susceptible persons in contact with him/her. This is the reason why outbreaks usually occur in hostels, schools, army barracks. This was probably what caused the outbreak among UM students staying in the residential colleges.

Events happening over the last two months have indicated that the current outbreak has not been handled in the proper manner. Firstly there is news blackout of the rubella outbreak. This was done so as not to spoil the merdeka celebration. By so doing, pregnant women are been exposed unnecessarily to risk of getting infected and subsequently delivery of an affected baby. Secondly the government, till date has not advised the public who had not have rubella vaccination in the past to go for vaccination. Thirdly during the fasting month there will be lots of mingling of people and those “balik kampung” setting the stage for mass transmission of the illness.

In short the government has attempted to cover up an outbreak of rubella in the country at the expense of risks to unborn foetuses. By not taking quick and proper measures it has allowed the illness to spread to a stage that the government is now in a helpless state.