The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has released a statement confirming an outbreak of mumps in South Africa. The viral infection, which primarily impacts young children aged between five and nine years, can be prevented by vaccination.
Also read: A nurse helps deliver a baby in the parking lot of Melomed Mitchells Plain
Mumps is a disease that causes discomforting swelling of the parotid and/or salivary glands and is typically a mild illness experienced during childhood.
The NICD said that people who have had mumps are usually protected for life against another mumps infection. However, second occurrences of mumps do rarely occur.
As per the 2019 global summary of the WHO vaccine-preventable diseases monitoring system, South Africa only reported 24 cases in 2002. Despite the low frequency of mumps cases reported in the region, there have been inconsistent reports on mumps epidemiology in South Africa. This is mainly because mumps is not a notifiable medical condition (NMC) and is not included in any formal surveillance programme.
However, since February 2023, the NICD has received several queries regarding possible clusters or outbreaks of mumps in various provinces.
To confirm the existence of a mumps outbreak, the NICD surveillance data warehouse was requested to provide national public sector laboratory test data for mumps PCR positives and IgM positives from 2013 to the present. This data was then analysed as an ad hoc surveillance activity.
According to the NICD, recent data reveals that there has been an unexpected and steady increase in positive tests for mumps, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces. Based on this data, the NICD has confirmed the occurrence of an outbreak of mumps in these areas.
‘To limit transmission during an outbreak, in countries where mumps vaccination is universally available, public health authorities may recommend an additional dose of the combination measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for people who belong to groups at increased risk for getting mumps.
‘These groups are usually those who are likely to have close contact, such as sharing sport equipment or drinks, kissing, or living together, with a person who has mumps. As the MMR vaccine as an intervention is not universally available in South Africa, it is best to seek the advice of your local healthcare provider,’ said the NICD.
Also read:
CT family seeks help after their baby is diagnosed with respiratory failure
Picture: Unsplash