Mumps outbreak eclipses 200 in Central Ohio
The mumps outbreak in Central Ohio, which was first reported among a handful of Ohio State University students a little over a month ago, has blossomed to 212 cases, according to the latest update from Columbus Public Health today.
Franklin County Ohio map
Image/David Benbennick
The outbreak in Delaware and Franklin counties also includes 132 cases linked to the Ohio State University. As the investigations into the outbreak continues, the health commissioners from Columbus Public Health, Franklin County Public Health and the Delaware General Health District urge individuals at highest risk of mumps to get vaccinated.
Health officials say that anyone who has not received any doses of the measles,mumps and rubella (MMR) and those who have received only one dose of MMR should be vaccinated. Additionally, people born before 1987 are likely to have received just one or no MMR doses and should also be vaccinated.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mumps is a contagious disease that is caused by the mumps virus. Mumps typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, and is followed by swelling of salivary glands. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page.
Mumps is spread by droplets of saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose, or throat of an infected person, usually when the person coughs, sneezes or talks. Items used by an infected person, such as cups or soft drink cans, can also be contaminated with the virus, which may spread to others if those items are shared.
Symptoms typically appear 16-18 days after infection, but this period can range from 12-25 days afterinfection.
It is usually a mild disease, but can occasionally cause serious complications.
The most common complication is inflammation of the testicles (orchitis) in males who have reached puberty; rarely does this lead to fertility problems.
Other rare complications include inflammation of the brain and/or tissue covering the brain and spinal cord(encephalitis/meningitis), inflammation of the ovaries (oophoritis) and/or breasts (mastitis) in females who have reached puberty and deafness.
