Kathmandu, Aug. 20 -- Nepal will continue administering the rubella vaccine as part of its routine immunisation programme, even though the country has eliminated the disease, which is caused by a highly contagious virus.

Officials say the disease could reemerge anytime if immunisation is stopped.

"We have been administering vaccines against diphtheria, whooping cough and others for years, even though there have been no cases for years," said Dr Abhiyan Gautam, chief of the Immunisation Section at the Family Welfare Division under the Department of Health Services. "So, we have to continue the rubella vaccine as usual. The deadly disease has just been eliminated, not eradicated."

Rubella, or German measles, is a highly contagious viral ...