Canada: Toronto Public Health alarmed at rise of Mumps in city

While most of the people affected were between 18-35 years old, four cases were related to schools in Toronto, either among staff or students.

With the increase of outbreak of Mumps in Toronto, TPH is educating people about the symptoms of the virus, ways to prevent it and about the vaccination.

Mumps is a virus that is contaminated through saliva and respiratory drops, including coughs and sneezes and affects the salivary glands.

Common symptoms are: swelling and pain on sides of the cheeks and jaw, fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite and tiredness.

Anyone with above symptoms should visit their family physicians or alternatively visit the site ehealthontario.on which gives useful information for further action.

TPH had been advising anyone having above symptoms should abstain from attending school or work, day cares, participating in group activities, sharing food, drinks, cigarettes, water bottles, or kissing others and having visitors for five days,

Mumps is only confirmed with a blood test, a urine test and a swab of the throat or salivary gland.

Symptoms are visible only after 12 to 25 days after infection and last for up to 10 days.

TPL has been advocating that all people born between 1970 and 1992 should get booster vaccination.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)

Image of a person with Mumps: Wikipedia