Rubella Eradicated from the Americas

The disease Rubella, also known as German measles, has been eliminated from the Americas, according to a scientific panel set up by health authorities from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, and the United Nations Foundation. The disease has historically had a deadly impact on fetuses, with one outbreak in 1964-65 resulting in 20,000 babies born with defects and 11,000 miscarriages, deaths in the womb, or therapeutic abortions. “Although it has taken some 15 years, the fight against rubella has paid off,” Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization, said in the announcement. “Now, with rubella under our belt, we need to roll up our sleeves and finish the job of eliminating measles, as well.”