The 1980 rubella outbreak in New Zealand

From late 1979 to 1981 there was an outbreak of rubella in New Zealand, most parts of the country being affected. The diagnostic virus laboratory at the National Health Institute, Wellington, examined approximately 15 000 sera for rubella during this period. The total number diagnosed as positive for rubella was 186. The extent of the outbreak was seen when these numbers were compared with rates of positive cases/numbers tested in the year from 1973. Of those diagnosed as having rubella infection, 63 percent were women of child-bearing age and approximately half of these (37 percent) were in various stages of pregnancy. Also an assessment of rubella immunity in New Zealand was made, comparing results of a survey carried out in 1976-1977 with antibody levels obtained by the laboratory from sera tested in 1979 and 1980. In 1980 we found that 12 percent of women in the child-bearing age group lacked adequate immunity, notwithstanding an actively pursued national rubella immunisation programme initiated in 1970.