This notice is from the archives of The Notice Board. Information contained in this notice was accurate at the time of publication but may no longer be so.
Recently, a mumps outbreak was declared in the South Zone of Alberta by Alberta Health Services (AHS). All confirmed cases, to date, have had exposure during a specific sporting event.
Mumps is a contagious viral infection that can cause swelling and pain in the jaw (one or both cheeks may look swollen). Some people with mumps won't have gland swelling. They may feel like they have a bad cold or the flu instead.
Mumps usually goes away on its own in about 10 days. But in some cases, it can cause complications that affect the brain (meningitis), the testicles (orchitis), the ovaries (oophoritis), or the pancreas (pancreatitis).
Mumps is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes near you or shares food or drinks.
You can spread the virus 7 days before and for 9 days after symptoms start. You are most likely to spread the virus 1 to 2 days before and 5 days after symptoms start.
The mumps vaccine protects against the illness. This vaccine is part of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) and MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella [chickenpox]) vaccines. Most children get the vaccine as part of their regular shots. Before the mumps vaccine existed, mumps was a common childhood disease in Canada and the United States.
AHS recommends that anyone with symptoms of pain on chewing or swallowing and/or swelling of the cheek or jaw should see a doctor for assessment and consideration of testing. Further, AHS recommends that anyone with symptoms as above should not go to class or play sports for 5 days from the start of swelling. If you are experiencing mumps symptoms, call your family physician clinic or the U of L Health Centre (403-329-2484) and inform them of your symptoms when booking an appointment.
To prevent further spread of mumps virus, please:
a. Practice good hand hygiene – wash hands often with soap and water, or use alcohol hand rub.
b. Avoid sharing items that could be contaminated with saliva such as water bottles, towels, drinking glasses, utensils, etc.
c. Do not spit near others
d. Clean and disinfect high touch/potentially contaminated surfaces.
e. Cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or a forearm.
More information about mumps can be found online at https://myhealth.alberta.ca/health/pages/conditions.aspx?Hwid=hw180629.
Contact:
Lori Weber | health.centre@uleth.ca | 403-329-2484 | uleth.ca/hr/health-centre