HONOLULU (KHON2) — A case of mumps has been confirmed in an individual on Hawaii Island, according to the Hawaii Department of Health.
The DOH said the individual attended an event at Harold H. Higashihara Park in Kailua-Kona on Thursday, Sept. 25, between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Officials added that the case is community-acquired and not travel-related.
Anyone who may have attended the event should monitor themselves for symptoms until Oct. 20, the DOH said.
Mumps is a contagious viral illness that spreads through coughing, sneezing, talking or sharing items. Symptoms typically appear 12 to 25 days after exposure.
Symptoms of mumps include:
- Swollen, painful salivary glands (puffy cheeks or a tender jaw)
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Tiredness
- Loss of appetite
The DOH said that anyone who develops symptoms should isolate for five days and contact their healthcare provider from home to avoid spreading the disease.
“While mumps is preventable with vaccination, even one case is concerning because of how easily the virus spreads,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble. “We encourage all Hawaiʻi residents to check their vaccination records and ensure they and their families are fully protected with two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine.”
DOH added that while there is no specific treatment for mumps, most people who fall ill with mumps recover fully, but it can cause serious illness in some.
DOH is working with the case’s family, healthcare providers, and Hawaiʻi County officials to identify and notify close contacts.
Hawaiʻi previously experienced a significant mumps outbreak from March 2017 through October 2018, with 1,009 confirmed cases statewide.