Mumps outbreak threatens area

There is a mumps outbreak in Spokane and local health officials say it could be headed our way.

Spokane had 56 cases of mumps as of Tuesday evening and the number is expected to rise.

Melanie Collett, spokeswoman for the Panhandle Health District, said there are no confirmed cases of mumps in North Idaho, but that will likely change, given the region’s proximity to Spokane.

“This is a very fluid situation and we’re working with local physicians to make sure any suspect cases are being reported and tested,” Collett said.

Mumps, a contagious disease caused by a virus, typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, followed by swollen salivary glands. Mumps is often transmitted by people who are in close contact with one another, such as those living in the same house or dorm. Mumps usually goes away on its own in about 10 days. But in some cases, it can cause complications that affect the brain, the testicles, the ovaries, or the pancreas.

Kootenai Health has been alerted the outbreak is nearby and has isolation policies that go into effect if an outbreak of a communicable disease does come into the region.

Kim Papich, public information officer for the Spokane Regional Health District, said there is some evidence the Spokane outbreak is linked to a mumps outbreak in Seattle which started in late November and is still continuing with 130 cases plus more in five surrounding counties.

Of the 56 cases in Spokane, 34 are people who previously received the mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccination. Ten of the cases are people who were not vaccinated and there are 12 cases in which the vaccination status is unknown.

“This has quickly turned into a polarized discussion on vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, but we have so many cases that we’re beyond that,” Papich said, noting vaccinated individuals are nine times less likely to get the mumps. “We have about 400,000 vaccinated people in Spokane; only 27 of them are sick. If they weren’t vaccinated, we’d have 400,000 people with the mumps. “

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two doses of the vaccine are roughly 88 percent — with a range of 66 to 95 percent — effective at protecting against mumps. One dose is 49 to 92 percent effective.

The CDC also reports the last big outbreak of mumps in the U.S. was in 2006 when there were more than 6,500 cases. Between 2011 and 2015, the national number of cases hovered between about 250 cases to 1,500 cases. In 2016, however, the preliminary count was about 5,500 cases — mostly concentrated in Iowa and Illinois at college campuses.

There are one or two cases of mumps in Idaho, but that's normal, and they’re unlikely to be related to the Spokane outbreak, Papich said.

Cory Webster, infection prevention coordinator for Kootenai Health, said other than vaccination, people can take steps to reduce the likelihood of getting any disease.

“People can stay home from school or work if they’re sick, wash hands, appropriately cover coughs and avoid sharing drinks and eating utensils,” she said. “Right now we are educating our staff, patients and visitors.”

Webster encouraged people who are ill to refrain from visiting loved ones at Kootenai Health, and to seek care for themselves.

Ultimately, vaccination is the best way to prevent mumps, according to both Panhandle and Spokane Regional health districts.