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PROVO — Health officials in Utah County have confirmed that an unvaccinated adult has contracted mumps, according to a Wednesday news release from the Utah County Health Department.
Officials did not release further details about the person. It is the first confirmed case of mumps reported along the Wasatch Front so far this year.
A suspected case of the disease was reported on Wednesday afternoon in Wasatch County, officials said.
The case has yet to be confirmed as mumps, but parents of a fully immunized student at Old Mill Elementary School notified school officials of the child's situation, according to a news release from Wasatch County School District.
It is believed that the student may have contracted the disease sometime between May 6 and 13, according to the release.
No students are being excluded from school as of Wednesday, officials said. District personnel are monitoring the situation and will notify parents and guardians if circumstances change, the news release states.
Mumps is a highly contagious viral disease that includes symptoms such as fever, headaches and swelling of the salivary glands, according to the release. Fatigue, muscle aches and loss of appetite may also affect mumps patients, officials said.
Symptoms usually appear 16 to 18 days after a person is exposed to the disease, officials said.
The disease spreads through saliva or mucus, as well as objects touched by an infected person, according to the release.
To prevent the disease, people are advised not to share food, drinks or other items that may contain saliva, according to the release. People should also wash hands frequently, cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing, frequently clean and disinfect communal surfaces and get vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine.
People who get mumps should stay home for at least five days after they start experiencing symptoms, according to the release.
“Mumps can be prevented through vaccination. Individuals should review their medical records and ensure they are up to date on all vaccines including two doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects against mumps," Dr. David Flinders, medical director for the Utah County Health Department, said in the release.
A mumps outbreak was previously reported in Sanpete County last month. As of Wednesday, there have been seven confirmed cases of mumps in Sanpete County, according to Central Utah Public Health Department spokesman Mike Grimlie.
There are still six pending suspected cases of mumps in the county, Grimlie said. Four cases previously suspected as mumps were determined not to be cases of the disease, he added.
A case of the disease also was reported in St. George earlier this year.
Health officials say measles is likely headed to Utah soon, as well. The MMR vaccine also protects against that disease.
