NICD sounds the alarm on mumps outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed an outbreak of mumps in South Africa.
According to the NICD,” recent data constitutes an outbreak because it reveals unexpected, steady increases in positive tests, mostly in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng.”
The NICD has been receiving inquiries since February 2023 about potential mumps clusters or outbreaks in several provinces, leading the NICD to ask for national public sector statistics on mumps PCR positives and lGM positives from 2013 to the present.
The tests showed an increase in positive tests among those aged four and younger (84% in 2023) and those in the five- to nine-years category (83%).
According to the Department of Health, “mumps is a highly contagious disease that spreads through contact with an infected person’s saliva or mucous. Although it mostly affects children aged five to nine, anyone of any age can be affected. The most common and noticeable symptom is the swelling near the ears, which results in puffy eyes and a swollen jaw, causing severe pain.”
An extra dose of the vaccination for combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) may be recommended, especially for those who belong to groups with an increased risk of contracting mumps; however, the MMR vaccination as an intervention is not universally available in South Africa.
The public is cautioned to seek urgent medical attention and to call the National Health Hotline at 0800 029 999 as soon as mumps symptoms are suspected.
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