The Ohio Department of Health has reported the more than 200 people have been affected with the mumps. There are reportedly 199 confirmed cases along with 126 linked to Ohio State University, local health officials reported Friday.
The Associated Press reported that as of Friday 21 mumps cases have been reported in Delaware County, two of which have been linked to the original outbreak source, Ohio State University. Health officials are also reporting that 173 have been in Franklin County, 115 of which were also linked back to the University and 40 of which are a part of a community outbreak.
In March, Jose Rodriguez, spokesman for the health department, said that the mumps outbreak had spread beyond campus to different parts of Franklin County and that the number of cases had jumped to 69. More than half of the cases were students and staff members at the university.
Franklin County Public Health, Columbus Public Health, and the Delaware General Health District are investigating the outbreak, but are also asking individuals at highest risk of mumps to get vaccinated. A proper vaccine includes at least two doses of the MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella) vaccine. If a person is infected, health officials recommend that the person stays home to prevent the virus from spreading.
"So far, a beneficial lesson in handling such outbreaks like the mumps is the importance of vaccination," Travis Irvan, DGHD epidemiologist, said. "Disease prevention is key to public health. It is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it. Vaccines can protect both the people who receive them and those with whom they come in contact."
Mumps is a highly contagious virus that can spread through respiratory droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. Symptoms include fever, body aches, swelling of salivary glands and body aches, but one-third of individuals do not experience symptoms. Five-days of isolation is often required. In some rare cases, being exposed to the mumps can cause fertility problems or death.
