[ad_1]
PROVO – Utah County Health Authorities have confirmed that an unvaccinated adult had contracted mumps, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the Utah County Health Department.
The officials did not reveal any other details about the person. This is the first confirmed case of mumps reported along the Wasatch front since the beginning of the year.
A suspected case of the disease was reported Wednesday afternoon in Wasatch County, officials said.
The case has not yet been confirmed as being mumps, but the parents of a fully immunized student at Old Mill Elementary School have informed school officials of the child's situation, according to a news release. Wasatch County School District Press.
According to the release, the student could have contracted the disease between May 6th and May 13th.
No students are excluded from school as of Wednesday, officials said. District staff are monitoring the situation and will notify parents and guardians if circumstances change, says the press release.
Mumps is a highly contagious viral disease that includes symptoms such as fever, headache and swelling of the salivary glands, the statement said. Fatigue, muscle aches and loss of appetite can also affect mumps patients, officials said.
Symptoms usually appear 16 to 18 days after a person's exposure to the disease, officials said.
The disease is spread by saliva or mucus, as well as by objects touched by an infected person, the statement said.
According to the press release, it is advisable not to share food, drinks or other items containing saliva. People should also wash their hands frequently, cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing, clean and disinfect common surfaces frequently and get vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine.
People who catch mumps should stay at home at least five days after the onset of symptoms, the statement said.
"Vaccination helps prevent mumps. Individuals should review their medical records and ensure they are up to date on all vaccines, including two doses of MMR vaccine, which protects against mumps, "said Dr. David Flinders, Medical Director of the Department of Utah County Health.
An outbreak of mumps had already been reported in Sanpete County last month. On Wednesday, there were seven confirmed cases of mumps in Sanpete County, according to Utah Central Public Health Department spokesman Mike Grimlie.
There remain six suspected cases of mumps waiting in the county, said Grimlie. It was determined that four previously suspected cases of mumps were not cases, he added.
A case of the disease was also reported in St. George earlier this year.
Health officials said that measles would likely soon be headed to Utah. The MMR vaccine also protects against this disease.
Jacob Klopfenstein[ad_2]
Source link