Rash: Is it sunburn or is it rubella?

Fifth disease is spreading further and further in Europe! New, worrying data has now been confirmed.

Severe: Around 70 cases were registered from January to June 2023. In the comparable period in 2024, there were already more than 1,140 cases. The figures come from a laboratory in Stuttgart (Baden-Württemberg) that specializes in parvoviruses, and from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

An infection with the highly infectious pathogen parvovirus B19 is characterized by reddish skin irritations.

▶︎ This makes rubella look like sunburn and this makes many people unsure, especially in summer: is the red skin caused by too much sunbathing – or by the rubella virus.

Read what is behind the increasing number of cases of rubella. We will also explain how to recognize the disease and how to distinguish it from sunburn or a cold!