At least 13 people in the Boston area, including a pregnant woman, have been diagnosed with German measles in the past 1 1/2 months, health officials said. The rare outbreak of rubella has affected mainly inmates and staff of local jails, according to the Boston Department of Health and Hospitals. Two homeless people also contracted the disease, and two other people were infected by contact with jail inmates or staff. Rubella is a contagious disease that can cause birth defects such as blindness, deafness and heart problems if contracted by a pregnant woman.

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