Mumps Outbreak Getting Closer To Pierce County: Health Officials

PACIFIC, WA - A mumps outbreak that originated in Auburn is getting closer to Pierce County.

King County announced Tuesday that the number of cases of mumps had grown to 36 - six confirmed, the rest considered "probable" mumps - and spread outside of Auburn. There were two cases in Kent, and one each in Federal Way and Pacific. The city of Pacific is partially in Pierce County.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department told Patch.com on Tuesday that there are no cases in the county right now, but health officials are monitoring the situation in King County.

When the King County announced the outbreak on Nov. 29, there were just three confirmed mumps cases. King County is urging anyone who has not received a mumps vaccine to get one. Mumps causes painful swelling of the face, head, and neck, and can lead to encephalitis and viral meningitis. The mumps virus also causes flu-like symptoms.

The mumps vaccine is about 88 percent effective in preventing infection, and 67 percent of those infected had been vaccinated. King County Health Officer Dr. Jeffrey Duchin said that before the vaccine, tens of thousands of people would get mumps each month during peak season.

"Since the widespread use of the mumps vaccine in the U.S., there has been a 99 percent decrease in mumps," he wrote in a blog post.

Duchin has said that the county does not usually see this many mumps infections in one season. In past years, there has been a maximum of about seven cases in a given season.

Read Duchin's full blog on the importance of vaccinations here.

Image via Shutterstock