Dallas County Confirms Year's First Mumps Case

Dallas County health officials confirmed the first mumps case of the year in a health advisory sent out Monday morning.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services said a college student contracted the mumps disease during a recent international trip.

DCHHS spokeswoman Erikka Neroes said the student attends school in Dallas County, but would not specify which college. The student is now being treated with the mumps vaccine.

DCHHS said there does not appear to be any risk to other classmates or faculty within the college.

Neroes said the health advisory is chiefly intended just to inform local doctors and clinicians that there is now a confirmed mumps diagnosis this year and it’s something to be “on the radar” in case symptoms appear in patients.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms most famously include swollen salivary glands that can cause puffy cheeks and a swollen jaw. Other typical symptoms include headache, fever, and lethargy.

The mumps vaccine is 88 percent effective, but the CDC said mumps usually clears up within a few weeks.

Mumps can only be contracted through direct contact with saliva.

Online: DCHHS Advisory: Mumps

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