Mumps outbreak prompts warning for Nelson region
Health professionals are warning people to check if their vaccinations are up to date as an outbreak of mumps spreads throughout the country.
Nelson Bays Primary Health general manager of clinical services Karen Winton said the current outbreak had affected more than 1000 people, mostly in the Auckland region.
Winton said there had been no cases of mumps reported so far in the Nelson region but it was likely that could change especially with people travelling around the country in the holiday season.
The outbreak of mumps in Auckland has recently been labelled an epidemic.
Cases have also been reported in Northland, Hamilton, and Dunedin, where 12 cases in August were linked to the student population.
The most affected age group were those in the 10-29 year-old category.
‘‘We don’t want to see a return of epidemics in New Zealand,’’ Winton said.
Winton said it was important that anyone aged 48 years or younger checked to see if they had received the required two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination (MMR) vaccine.
The MMR vaccine is a funded vaccine available at the GP. It is usually given in two doses, at15 months old and at four years old.
If people had not had the required immunisation, or were unable to check, they should arrange to have the vaccine as soon as possible.
The outbreak, along with the recent pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak in the region, was a timely reminder of the importance of immunisation.
Immunisation was the most effective way to protect pregnant mums, babies and children from a range of serious, sometimes fatal diseases.
Mumps is an infectious viral illness which can cause fever, soreness, swelling in the face and general malaise. It can have serious complications.