North Texas officials warn of mumps outbreak
DALLAS - The health department is on alert after one of the worst mumps outbreaks in years.
In Dallas County, eight adults have been infected. Johnson County has had 48 mumps cases in just the past two weeks.
The illness itself is not severe, but can lead to other complications. Medical professionals say getting vaccinated is crucial to prevent it from spreading.
“In 1950, Texas as a whole had 33,000 cases of the mumps. Last year in 2015 we had 20 cases of mumps. That tells you that the vaccine is very effective,” said Dr. Christopher Perkins, the medical director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.
Mumps can be spread through saliva or close contact. The symptoms include swollen glands, fatigue and body aches.
There have been no deaths reported from this outbreak.