World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the Maldives has eliminated Rubella.
A press statement issued by the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia said the Maldives and Sri Lanka were verified for having eliminated Rubella, which are the first two countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region to achieve the Measles and Rubella elimination ahead of the target set for 2023.
The announcement was made after the fifth meeting of the South-East Asia Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination, held virtually. The commission comprises of 11 independent international experts in the fields of epidemiology, virology and public health.
A country is verified as having eliminated measles and rubella when there is no evidence of endemic transmission of the Measles and Rubella viruses for over three years in the presence of a well performing surveillance system. The Maldives last reported an endemic case of Measles in 2009 and of Rubella in October 2015. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka reported its last endemic case of Measles in May 2016 and of Rubella in March 2017.
Rubella is a disease that can cause many birth defects in children born to infected mothers and Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease that can lead to various complications.