Ireland health officials are reporting a large rise in the number of mumps cases reported in the first nine weeks of 2019 compared to the same period last year.
According to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), 451 mumps cases were notified in the first nine weeks compared to 60 for the same time period in 2018. Twenty cases required hospitalization for their illness.
In all of 2018, 575 cases mumps cases were reported.
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The East and Northeast have seen more than half the cases and 3/4s of the cases were reported in people ages 10-24.
Symptoms of mumps include fever, headache, tiredness and swollen, tender salivary glands. Mumps often gives the appearance of swollen cheeks or jaw.
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The best protection against mumps is to be fully vaccinated with 2 doses of the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine.
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