German Measles or Rubella Eradicated from Americas

The North and South America are reported to being the first places to eradicate Rubella after no home grown cases of the disease were reported over the last 5 years.

Rubella, which is caused by a virus spreads through coughs and sneezes and is known to cause serious birth defects in babies if contracted by pregnant women.

Before the development of mass vaccination programs, more than 20,000 children were diagnosed with the disease in North and South America each year.

Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan-American Health Organization claimed the eradication as a 'historic achievement.'

The last known endemic cases were reported in 2009 in Brazil and Argentina.

Etienne said, "The fight against rubella has taken more than 15 years," she said. "But it has paid off with what I believe will be one of the most important Pan-American public health achievements of the 21st Century."

Patients diagnosed with rubella usually experience headaches, red eyes, runny nose, joint aches, slight fever and rashes. The rashes usually start with the face and move downwards.

Women in the first 3 months of their pregnancy are particularly vulnerable to the disease.

It could lead to serious ailments like deafness, autism, heart defects, blindness, congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in children.

The last major outbreak of the disease was back in 1964 and 1965 were 20,000 children were diagnosed with CRS in the US alone. The United States has reported no cases of the disease since 2004.