Maricopa County Officials Ask For Help In Stopping Mumps Outbreak

PHOENIX, AZ — Maricopa County officials reported Thursday that the county is currently undergoing a widespread outbreak of mumps, which can have serious consequences.

Sonia Singh, a public information officer with Maricopa County, said the number of mumps cases in Maricopa County has skyrocketed fivefold higher than usual. "Since August, we have seen 12 cases of mumps in Maricopa County, which is five times the number of cases we would expect to see in that timeframe. Most of these cases did not have any international travel, so we know that it is spreading locally," she wrote in an email.

Maricopa County Department of Public Health’s medical director Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine said an outbreak like this hasn't happened locally in a long time. “This is the first community-wide mumps outbreak that Maricopa County has seen in decades and serves as a reminder of why it’s so important to get vaccinated for diseases that we can prevent.”

A contagious viral disease spread by saliva or mucus from the throat, nose or mouth of someone who has it, mumps are also transmitted when kissing or through sharing drinks, food, eating utensils, lip gloss, cigarettes or additional items possibly in contact with saliva.

Mumps symptoms can include:

• Low-grade fever
• Muscle aches
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Tiredness
• Facial swelling in addition to tender salivary glands beneath the jaw or ears on both or only one side of the face

Mumps complications can include meningitis, deafness and swollen and painful ovaries or testicles.

If those symptoms sound familiar and you think you might have been infected with mumps, call a doctor and tell them you suspect you have mumps. Those without a healthcare provider who think they have mumps can go to an urgent care center or a hospital emergency room. County officials advise anyone going to an ER, urgent care or doctor’s office on suspicion of mumps to call the healthcare provider ahead of time, though, so that a possible exposure of mumps to those in the waiting room can be avoided.

“Many healthcare providers have never seen a patient with mumps, so it’s important for everyone to know there is an outbreak. It’s OK to ask your provider to test for mumps if you have symptoms,” Sunenshine explained.

Mumps tests often consist of a cheek swab, and blood and urine tests. Testing should be completed within the first 3 symptom days ideally. Doctors will request that those infected with mumps don’t go to daycare, school or work or have contact with other people for the first 5 days after jaw swelling or pain began.

Someone who has mumps is contagious for one or two days before the onset of pain or swelling, so it can be spread before one is aware they have the disease.

County officials ask healthcare providers to report suspected mumps cases to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health at 602-506-6767.

In the meantime, the best way for Maricopa County residents to protect themselves against becoming infected with mumps is to:

• Cover sneezes and coughs with an elbow, sleeve or tissue.
• Wash your hands often and thoroughly.
• Avoid sharing utensils, drinks, food and other items in contact with the nose or mouth.
• Encourage others to check whether they’ve received two MMR vaccine doses.

To find a child vaccination location or to learn more about mumps, access the WeArePublicHealth.org website.