Mumps outbreak prompts warning to Manitoba parents

The province is warning parents and guardians to watch out for signs of mumps now that the outbreak has spread throughout Manitoba, including to pre-schools and schools.

As of Feb. 24, 2017 there were 176 confirmed mumps cases in Manitoba, according to health officials. The province typically sees four or five cases of the disease a year.

So far, most cases have been in university students between 18 to 29 years of age, living in Winnipeg.

“The majority of mumps cases were months ago, mainly in athletics. Information was shared widely with students on prevention and treatment,” said spokesperson for the University of Manitoba, John Danakas.

The school’s men’s football team was especially hard hit by mumps.

NHL hockey players are affected as well. The visiting Minnesota Wild has two players and an assistant coach are off sick with the highly contagious disease.

As a result, some Winnipeg Jets players might be getting vaccinated.

“I think we’re going to have mumps shots available to us after the game,” Jets forward Mathieu Perreault said in a video on the Jets Twitter account. 

• Mumps spread to Wild with Parise, Pominville to miss at least 3 games
• NHL hit by mumps outbreak, 9 players diagnosed with disease

The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine protects against mumps but recently vaccination rates have fallen in part due to an anti-vaccination trend based on a discredited belief vaccination causes autism. The province says the lower vaccination rates have contributed to weaker herd immunity — putting people with compromised immune systems at risk.

• WATCH: How herd immunity works

Mumps start with cold-like symptoms, developing into swollen and tender glands at the jaw line or on both sides of the face, along with fever, headache and body aches, the province says.

The disease can spread two or three days before symptoms show up and those infected continue to be contagious for four or five days after symptoms appear.

It’s spread by direct contact with saliva and can be transmitted through coughs, kissing, sneezes and sharing drinks. Washing hands, avoiding sharing drinks, covering sneezes and coughs and staying home when sick can help prevent the spread.

In adults and children past puberty, mumps sometimes causes painful inflammation in the testicles or ovaries, the province says. In rare cases, men may become sterile.

• Number of mumps cases in Manitoba doubles

In more severe cases of the mumps, the disease can cause deafness or swelling in the covering of the brain (mumps meningitis) or death.

Mumps vaccination information, from the province:

• People born between 1970 and 1984 who have not received a vaccine containing measles or mumps or have not had natural measles or mumps infection are eligible for one dose of MMR vaccine.
• Those born during or after 1985 are eligible for two doses of MMR vaccine.
• All children 12 months old or older are eligible to receive two doses — they are administered at 12 months of age and between four and six years of age.
• Students without immunity born before 1970 are eligible for one dose; while students born in 1970 or later are eligible for two doses of MMR vaccine.

For questions related to mumps or the vaccine, Manitobans can contact Health Links at 204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257 (toll free).

Has your family been affected by the mumps this year? Share your story with [email protected].