Public Health England (PHE) is calling on people to ensure they have two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine as infection rates increase to record levels.
According to official data, there were 5,042 lab-confirmed cases of mumps in England in 2019, rising from 1,066 cases in 2018 – representing the highest number of cases in over a decade.
Worryingly, PHE says the rate of infection is forecast to rise in 2020, with 545 confirmed cases in January alone, compared to 191 the previous year.
The outbreak is attributed to the so-called “Wakefield cohorts” – a set of young adults born in the late 90s and early 2000s who missed out on the MMR vaccine as children.
Commenting on the report, experts are now calling on all students and young people to book to receive their second round of vaccinations.
“The best protection against mumps and its complications is to have 2 doses of the MMR vaccine. It’s never too late to catch up”, said Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist at PHE.
“We encourage all students and young people who may have missed out on their MMR vaccine in the past to contact their GP practice and get up to date as soon as possible.”
What is mumps?
Mumps is a contagious viral infection that causes painful swelling in the sides of face under the ears, known as the parotid glands. Other symptoms include headaches, joint pain and a high temperature.
Book your MMR vaccine today. For more information, get in touch with our expert team.
