MUMPS INFORMATION WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Washington currently has an outbreak of mumps disease. Most of the cases are in King County, mainly in the Auburn area, but there are also cases in Pierce, Spokane, and Yakima counties, and the outbreak could spread further. The number of cases reported in the current outbreak is higher than the total number of cases reported in any single year in Washington in more than a decade. For the most up-to-date case count, visit www.doh.wa.gov/mumps.

The Washington State Department of Health is coordinating a statewide response to the outbreak, working closely with local health jurisdictions.  The department’s goal is to prevent the outbreak from spreading further. We are assisting local health jurisdictions in mumps diagnostic testing as requested to better understand the scope of the outbreak, assuring health care providers have the information they need to quickly recognize and test a potential mumps case and provide their patients with necessary public health information. We are encouraging immunization, and are providing information and resources as needed.

Everyone can help stop this disease from spreading. Make sure the children in your schools, preschools, and child cares are up to date on measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Know the signs and symptoms of mumps. If you suspect that someone in your school, preschool, or child care has mumps, call your local health jurisdiction and refer the child/student to a healthcare provider right away. In the event of a mumps case in your facility, work with your local health department to exclude children who are not up to date on their MMR vaccine or have an exemption to MMR vaccine on file.