Health Authorities Monitor Escalating Mumps Cases in India

Mumps is a sickness caused by a virus that mostly affects kids and young adults. It brings tiredness, muscle pain, not feeling hungry, headaches, fever, and swollen cheeks due to swollen glands. In recent times, more cases of mumps have been found in many parts of India, including Delhi-NCR.

The number of people getting mumps has shot up, with Delhi-NCR now having a lot of cases. Doctors are worried because mumps makes people feel like they have the flu and their cheeks swell up, which can be painful.

By March 2024, the government counted 15,637 cases of mumps, which is a lot more than before. States like Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh are seeing more cases too.

There are a few reasons why mumps is coming back. Not enough people are getting the vaccine, and some people’s immunity against mumps goes down over time. Also, kids are spending more time together at school, and sometimes, not so clean environments can help the virus spread.

Even though there’s a vaccine for mumps, it’s not part of India’s big vaccination plan because it doesn’t often cause death. Instead, the focus is more on diseases like measles that can be very serious.

Doctors in Delhi and nearby places have noticed more mumps cases, though not as many as in other states. They say the illness can spread in communities and cause more problems.

To stop mumps from spreading, it’s important to get vaccinated and follow good hygiene habits like washing hands and wearing masks. If someone shows signs of mumps, they should see a doctor quickly and stay away from others to prevent spreading it further.

Apart from kids and young adults, older people, those with weaker immune systems, and pregnant women are more likely to get mumps. They need to be extra careful. Doctors say educating people about prevention is key to dealing with the mumps outbreak.