Four Mumps Cases Reported In Garfield County

Four cases of mumps have been confirmed this week in Garfield County, the state Department of Health reported Wednesday night.

At least 34 more cases are being investigated after students in two Enid Public Schools exhibited symptoms of the disease. 

The age range for those currently affected is from 1 year of age to 41 years of age. 

The majority of cases were found in middle school and high school students.

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, followed by swollen salivary glands, according to the CDC. 

Symptoms usually appear 16 to 18 days after infection. Infected individuals can transmit the virus two days before symptoms appear and up to five days after symptoms begin, the state health department said.

Parents are asked to keep their children at home for five days after symptoms have been discovered. 

A vaccine preventing mumps is required for school attendance. It is 88 percent effective in preventing mumps. 

Enid Public Schools issued a message on its website to families. 

Click here to learn more about mumps.