As two cases have been confirmed of Mumps in Chandler, Maricopa County health officials have issued an advisory reminding people of symptoms to look for from the contagious disease.
“As of right now, we only know of the two confirmed cases at Hamilton High,” said Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director of disease control at the Maricopa Department of Public Health.
She added that Mumps cases in Arizona are relatively uncommon, but there are reports of other outbreaks in other parts of the country.
“Hamilton High School has a high vaccination rate,” said Sunenshine. She also added that vaccination usually given to children is the best way to combat mumps. The vaccination to Mumps is commonly known as MMR, and it protects against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella. It is usually administered in two doses, one at 12-15 months and then again at 4-5 years. Though it is considered as highly effective, it is still possible to catch one of the viruses.
Mumps-
Mumps is caused by a virus, and it can be spread through the air, or through infected areas from the nose, mouth, and throat. As per county health officials, it also can be spread through coming in contact with the infected person’s saliva.
The symptoms include-
- Swelling and tenderness of the salivary glands by the neck and jaw
- A low-grade fever accompanied by headaches, muscle aches, and loss of appetite
- Swelling of the testicles in men, swelling of the ovaries in women, leading to abdominal pain
- Stiff neck and headache
Measles-
It also is spread by a virus, and it takes the help of air via coughs and sneezes to be contagious. A recent outbreak of Measles in Washington State has made the public officials alert.
The Symptoms include-
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Rash
- Other cold-like symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Brain swelling (in rare cases)
Rubella-
It is spread through coughs and sneezes and known as German measles. Some infected people don’t show any symptoms at all. The virus also can be spread to a fetus, which can cause organ damage, heart defects, and mental disabilities, according to the CDC.
The Symptoms include-
- Fever
- Short term rash
- Mild pink-eye
- Swollen lymph nodes
As there is an on-going debate on compulsory vaccination, it is to be reported that a few percentages of parents prevent their children from being vaccinated for various reasons, including religious reasons. As per new research, even a handful of such families could possibly trigger an increase in local measles cases. So, we should expect the health officials to popularise the symptoms and make the parents more aware of the disease so that we can avoid an outbreak like Washington State.
