Measles Outbreak in Japan

Japan is facing its worst outbreak in years, with many infections occurring among people who attended a Valentine's Day gift fair and a religious group that promotes alternative medicine.

According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, as of February 10th, 167 cases were reported in 20 of Japan's 47 prefectures, with the largest outbreaks in the prefectures of Mie and Osaka. It's the fastest Japan has reached that many cases at the beginning of the year since 2008.

Almost all of the 49 reported cases in Mie were people associated to religious group Miroku Community Kyusei Shinkyo. The group has said it promotes avoiding medicines and vaccines and instead eating naturally farmed foods. However, after some members became infected, the group apologized and announced that it was changing its practices on its website: "Given the unexpected situation, we will follow the health care center's advice to get vaccine shots for measles or other highly infectious diseases so that we don't cause concern to others."

Infections also occurred in a complex in Osaka where 21 customers and workers at a Valentine's Day fair contracted the virus. Several cases were connected to children who returned to Japan from the Philippines, where another measles outbreak is occurring.

In Japan, a vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella was discontinued in the early 1990s after it was connected to aseptic meningitis; consequently, the government has been cautious towards advocating vaccines. Nevertheless, in 2006, Japanese health officials began recommending a second measles vaccination shot for children to increase immunization rates. 

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/world/asia/japan-measles-outbreak.html

-- Caroline Aung