Why is it in the news?

• Mumps cases have surged in Kerala, alongside other states like Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Initially reported in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts, the outbreak has spread to Palakkad and Thrissur, leading to major community outbreaks.

More about the news

• Mumps, typically affecting children and adolescents, presents with fever, headache, and painful swelling of the salivary glands. Complications such as meningoencephalitis, pancreatitis, and reproductive organ damage have been reported, raising public health concerns.
• Mumps vaccine is not part of the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) due to perceived low mortality and public health significance.
• However, lack of comprehensive data on disease incidence and long-term morbidity profile contributes to underestimation of mumps’ impact.

 Measures to be taken

• Public awareness and isolation of infected individuals are crucial for controlling transmission.
• Improving immunisation coverage, especially among unimmunised children and adolescents, is essential.
• Extended isolation periods and school closures during outbreaks are recommended to limit transmission.
• WHO recommends integrating mumps vaccination strategies with existing measles elimination and rubella control efforts.
• Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) advocates for MMR vaccine inclusion in the UIP to enhance protection against mumps, measles, and rubella.