KONA, Hawaii (KHON2) — Big Island officials are sanitizing a park in Kona on Wednesday morning after a person diagnosed with mumps was confirmed to have been there 11 days ago.
State health officials are concerned because the case is not related to travel, suggesting mumps may be going around the island.
Doctors insist vaccines work at preventing some illnesses, like mumps, which was widespread before the vaccine was officially licensed in 1967.
“The US saw over 100,000 cases of mumps every year, and since the vaccine has been licensed and incorporated as part of the childhood immunization vaccine schedule, that rate has decreased by 99 percent,” said Dr. Christine Akamine, John. A Burns Medical School Infection Disease Physician.
Which is why state health officials are concerned with the current case of mumps on the Big Island. Officials say the affected person was at an event at Harold Higashihara Park in Kona on September 25. The Department of Health says anyone who was there should contact them and check for symptoms because it is a highly contagious virus that affects your salivary glands.
“Mumps is likely out there or has been out there and has the potential concern for anybody in the county and potentially in the state,” said Dr. Sarah Kemble, state epidemiologist.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, vaccination rates for Hawaii Kindergartners are up, but still below the national average. And below the 95 percent desired for herd immunity.
The CDC also says close to five percent of all Hawaii public school students used a religious exemption to avoid getting vaccinated. That’s above the national average. It’s more than nine percent on the Big Island and Kauai.
“We aren’t right now seeing that have a major impact on the coverage rates overall, but over time, if that number continues to climb, eventually, put two and two together, if you have so many people exempt from vaccines, you may see the overall coverage rates go down,” said Kemble.
The state DOH is trying to make it easier for everyone to get vaccinated by expanding its Healthy Hawaii providers program. The program brings healthcare providers to schools to offer services like flu shots, physical exams, and other school-related immunizations. Last year, there were 47 clinics offered. This year, more than 350 are already scheduled.
“It’s very important to have these conversations with someone that you trust, your pediatrician, whoever your primary care practitioner may be,” said Akamine.
“This is definitely a time to be really clear about the valuing importance of vaccines,” said Kemble. “Vaccines are the best way for you and your loved ones to prevent diseases like mumps and to prevent serious complications from those diseases.”