Mumps outbreak in SA: What you need to know

South Africa is currently experiencing a mumps outbreak, with an increase in the number of queries about clusters noted since February.

South Africa is currently in the midst of a mumps outbreak, according to the National Institute for Communicable Disease (NICD).

MUMPS CASES ON THE RISE SINCE FEBRUARY 2023

Mumps is a viral infection caused by the rubavirus, which leads to painful swelling of the parotid or salivary glands, or both.

It generally infects children aged between 5 and 9 years old. However, younger and older children and adults can become infected.

“People who have had it are usually protected for life against another mumps infection. However, second occurrences of mumps do rarely occur,” said the NICD.

The Institute said since February 2023, it has received several queries about possible clusters or outbreaks in different provinces.

OUTBREAK HITS YOUNG CHILDREN THE HARDEST, WITH 1-4 YEARS OLD CATEGORY MOST AFFECTED

To confirm the outbreak, the NICD requested national public sector laboratory test data for mumps PCR positives and Immunoglobulin M (IgM) positives from 2013 to the present.

The annual percent-positivity for mumps IgM tests had previously peaked at 39% in 2019, but the percent-positivity for 2023 is currently at 69%.

The 1-4 years old category was most affected with the highest positivity rate, followed by the 30-34 year category and the 10-14 year category.

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The epidemic curve, which tracks the number of cases over time, shows a steady increase in IgM test positives from week 6 of 2023, with the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng accounting for the majority of cases. In the absence of other data, the sudden increase in IgM and PCR test positives constitutes an outbreak, explained the NICD.

“To limit transmission during an outbreak, in countries where mumps vaccination is universally available, public health authorities may recommend an additional dose of the combination measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for people who belong to groups at increased risk for getting mumps,” said the NICD.

The groups more at risk of contracting the infection include those who are likely to have close contact, such as sharing sports equipment or drinks, kissing, or living together, with a person who has it..

An MMR vaccine is not universally available in South Africa. The Institute recommends seeking advice from your local healthcare provider if infected.