EFN

Approximately 30 individuals in Lakewood, New Jersey, nearly all between the ages of 17 and 20, have come down with the mumps in the last two weeks.

New York health officials report that the outbreak originated in a child who traveled to Britain and then attended summer camp in upper New York State, transmitting the disease to other campers. The children then brought the mumps virus back with them to Brooklyn. Most of the victims have been between the ages of 10 and 15, although a one-year-old child and a 42-year-old have been infected as well.

Surprisingly, 75% of the victims had the normal two doses of mumps vaccine, which is supposed to protect against the illness 90% of the time.

The primary sign of mumps is swollen salivary glands that cause the cheeks to puff out. If you think you have the mumps, stay home for five days. Mumps generally runs its course in approximately 10 days. Complications can lead to deafness or even death and was a childhood scourge until vaccinations mostly ended the disease in developed nations. Mumps takes place around the world and there are still outbreaks in the U.S. Humans are the only known host to mumps.

Health officials are currently working to find all the cases in New Jersey. The Ocean County Health Department states the cases have been mainly contained to one section of the town.