Mumps cases increasing in San Diego region, public health department warns

A spike in local cases prompted the county’s public health department to warn local doctors Friday that the mumps virus is likely spreading in the community.In just the first three months of 2019, 5 mumps cases have already been diagnosed compared to nine cases in all of 2018, suggesting that the disease is spreading more quickly than usual, according to the county’s newly released medical community health alert.Issued early Friday morning by the county Health and Human Services Agency, the medical memo notes that, in addition to confirmed cases, there has also been a recent spike in the number of patients with acute parotitis, a significant swelling of the salivary glands.“Some of these cases may be undiagnosed mumps,” the alert states.An analysis of patient symptoms at 12 local emergency departments found that 23 people have been diagnosed with parotitis so far this year compared to just two such cases through the same span in 2018.Dr. Eric McDonald, medical director of the county’s Epidemiology and Immunization Services Branch, noted Friday that the notice to doctors is intended to prevent an outbreak, technically defined as several cases linked by common factors such as close contact or shared facilities.“The number of mumps and… Read full this story

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