More than 700 mumps cases in the United States this year, says the CDC



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This represents an increase of 310 cases of the disease in the last month. Earlier, the CDC reported 426 cases of mumps at the end of March.
Cases have been reported in 41 states and in the District of Columbia.

Mumps is a preventable disease caused by vaccination and caused by a virus. According to the CDC, it is spread by saliva or mucus by coughing, sneezing or talking and sharing kitchen utensils or cups.

It can also spread when an infected person touches objects or surfaces that are subsequently touched by another person who contracts the virus.

Epidemics usually occur in people who have close contacts, such as on university campuses and among sports teams.

Symptoms may occur 12 to 25 days after infection and may include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and loss of appetite. The characteristic, however, is swollen ganglia under the ears that are sensitive. But not everyone has symptoms, especially if they have a mild case of the disease.

The best way to prevent mumps is to use a vaccine. According to the CDC, the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is 88% effective when two doses are given.

"Before the launch of the US mumps immunization program in 1967, about 186,000 cases were reported each year, but the actual number of cases was probably much higher because of underreporting," says the CDC website. "Since the introduction of the two-dose MMR vaccination program in 1989, the number of mumps cases in the United States has decreased by more than 99%, with only a few hundred cases reported in most years years. "

More than 2,000 mumps cases have been reported in the United States in 2018.

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