KOCHI: The mumps cases reported in Ernakulam district in January have hit a three-year high. While a total of 133 mumps cases were reported in 2011, it was only 97 in 2010. But the figure has already touched 95 in January this year. The number of cases has been increasing drastically since October last. Mumps cases are known to peak in the period between January to March. But compared to previous years, the figures this year are too high to be missed out. The highest number of cases has been reported from Palluruthy and Malipuram.Health Department officials said that measures are already in place to bring the disease under control. “We have launched awareness campaigns. One of the reasons for the rapid spread of the disease is that swelling occurs on the child only after two or three days. In these two or three days, the only symptom will be fever or cold. So the parents keep sending their child to school. This will result in the spreading of disease to other students. We have asked the parents in Palluruthy area not to send their kids to school if they are detected with such symptoms. Apart from this, there is hardly any prevention measures that can be undertaken since the disease does not come under the universal immunisation programme,” Reproductive and Child Health officer R Santhakumari said.Organisations like the Indian Academy of Paediatrics have been pressing for the inclusion of mumps vaccine under the universal immunisation programme. “The MMR vaccine which includes mumps, rubella and measles vaccine is now provided only in private hospitals. So the coverage is very low. In spite of being an easily preventable disease, mumps outbreaks are being regularly reported.
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