State health officials on Thursday confirmed five additional cases of Oahu residents with mumps bringing the total number of cases statewide in 2017 to 47.
The recently confirmed cases include children and adults whose infection is linked to other cases on Oahu. None of the cases required hospitalization, according to the Department of Health.
On Tuesday, Bay Clinic CEO Harold Wallace Jr. said there was one suspected case of mumps — that had not been confirmed — in a child in Pahoa.
The department expects to see more cases of mumps in Hawaii as the viral disease is highly contagious and circulating on Oahu.
The classic mumps symptom of parotitis often results in a tender, swollen jaw. Other symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite. Some people with mumps have very mild or no symptoms. The disease is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The disease can also be spread by sharing items, such as cups or eating utensils, or by touching contaminated objects or surfaces and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, and prevents most cases of mumps. Two doses of the vaccine are 88 percent effective at protecting against mumps and one dose is 78 percent effective, according to the department
MMR vaccine is available at local pharmacies across the state. To locate a vaccinating pharmacy in your community, visit http://health.hawaii.gov/docd/vaccines-immunizations/vaccine-locators/ or call the Aloha United Way information and referral line at 2-1-1.