The number of suspected and lab confirmed cases of mumps in northwest and central Arkansas has increased by a whopping 173 cases in one week, according to newly released numbers from The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) yesterday.
One week ago, the case tally stood at 769 cumulative cases. As of Wednesday, ADH puts the number at 942.
The 942 includes individuals who have displayed symptoms related to mumps or have received lab confirmation that they are positive for the virus.
As of November 2, 2016, Benton, Madison, Pulaski, and Washington are the counties involved.
The majority of cases are among school aged children; therefore, ADH has targeted its outbreak response to minimizing transmission within the impacted schools. ADH is requiring students who have a Mumps, Measles, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine exemption to be excluded from school for 26 days from the date of exposure or for the duration of the outbreak, whichever is longer.
Through the end of October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provisionally reported more than 2,800 cases. This tops the total mumps cases reported in all of 2010 (2,612), the previous high.
Related:
- California: Hepatitis A warning in Shasta County
- Mumps alert issued at the University of Missouri
- Kansas: E. coli outbreak linked to Louisburg Cider Mill Ciderfest investigated
