Officials with the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) now puts the total confirmed and probable mumps cases at 213 as of Tuesday.
ARPHS medical officer of health Dr Josephine Herman said mumps was now widespread across Auckland.
Low vaccination rates are fueling Auckland’s mumps outbreak. ARPHS is concerned not enough young Aucklanders are immunized in the face of an unrelenting mumps outbreak.
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“The majority of cases are aged 10 to 29 years as this age group has had lower than average immunization rates,“ says Clinical Director, Dr Julia Peters. Around 80 percent of the current cases were not fully vaccinated.
“Most people recover from mumps however some individuals can develop rare complications which we have already seen this year. I urge parents to check with their doctors to ensure their families’ measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations are up to date. Vaccination is free,” says Dr Peters.
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