Guam - The Department of Public Health has announced that there is an outbreak of the mumps on island.  Since January, over 100 cases of mumps have been reported to Public Health.  New cases are being reported daily and it's expected to continue to rise.

The mumps is a viral illness that can cause fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and painful swelling of the salivary glands under the ears. It can be spread from person-to-person through oral or respiratory secretions.  To stop the spread of the mumps, Public Heath is working with a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to find and interview cases, assessing risk factors and developing the best response to stop the outbreak.

To ensure you keep your family healthy:

  • Make sure your family members are fully immunized with the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine
  • Those with mumps symptoms should stay home from school, work and gatherings until five days after facial swelling began
  • Make sure to wash your hands with soap and water frequently, avoid sharing eating or drinking utensils and clean frequently touched surfaces often
  • Make sure to report current or recent cases of facial swelling to Public Health