Kerala is witnessing a mumps outbreak with at least 190 cases reported in a single day on Sunday, March 10. As per the data shared by the state health department, Kerala has so far registered a total of 2,505 cases of the viral infection this month and 11,467 cases in over two months this year.
Of the 2,505 cases reported in March, 1,649 are children. The maximum number of cases in Kerala are being reported from Malappuram district and other parts of north Kerala, officials said.
Confirming the outbreak, officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the National Centre for Disease Control in Kerala has been alerted, the Indian Express reported.
What Are Mumps?
The viral infection is caused by the paramyxovirus, which spreads through direct contact or airborne droplets from an infected person's upper respiratory tract.
If a person is infected, it usually takes two to four weeks for the symptoms to manifest. The disease primarily affects the salivary glands, causing pain and swelling.
The disease usually affects children, but adolescents and adults can also get infected by it.
Symptoms
Some of the most common symptoms of
mumps include:
Swelling of the salivary glands, mainly near the jawline and ears.2. High fever.
3. Mild to severe headache.
4. Body ache
5. Muscle pain and fatigue.
6. Loss of appetite.
Treatment
As of now, there is no specific treatment for mumps as
most patients recover naturally over a few weeks or more.
Children are given a vaccine against
mumps, measles and rubella (MMR). They can receive the MMR vaccine against all three diseases at private centres.
Here are a few steps that can help you manage the symptoms of mumps: gargling with warm salt water, drinking plenty of fluids and including non-acidic easy-to-chew foods in the meal.
In most cases, mumps is considered a self-limiting disease. However, in a few rare cases, there are chances of swelling in the brain area, hearing loss, and painful inflammation of the testis in adult males.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
