Iowa mumps cases make another jump

April 7, 2006

http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2006/04/07/news/local/doc4435fdd2a5d09932742889.txt Iowa mumps cases make another jump By Ann McGlynn | Comments(0) The number of mumps cases in Iowa continues to grow, while leaders at Augustana College in Rock Island are reporting about 20 students with mumps-like symptoms. Medical officials at Genesis and Trinity medical centers are evaluating employee records to make sure those who are not fully immunized against the disease receive a shot to prevent its further spread. In Iowa, 365 cases of mumps were confirmed or suspected as of Thursday, up from

300 on Tuesday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is calling the outbreak the largest in the country since 1988. Mumps is a virus spread through the air by mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person, usually when that person coughs or sneezes or shares a utensil or drinking glass with another. “People are starting to feel like we can’t do anything. That is not true. What you can do is everything we teach people every day. Wash your hands. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Take care of yourself physically. Those are all things people can do to stay healthy,” said Mincer Hansen, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health. And, she said, get vaccinated if not already and make sure your children are vaccinated. The vaccine against mumps, she said, is 95 percent effective, which means that 95 of 100 people who receive it will be immune.

Approximately 68 percent of the people who contracted the mumps in Iowa this year did receive both recommended doses of the vaccine. Others received just one of the two shots, and others were not vaccinated. Hansen, along with state epidemiologist Quinlisk, said the strain is the same as the one that has infected approximately 55,000 people in the United Kingdom, which has lower immunization rates that the United States. It is known as Strain G. That epidemic peaked last year, officials with the CDC said in a notice about the Iowa outbreak published last month. An average of 265 mumps cases have been reported each year since 2001, federal officials said. In Iowa, the average is five cases each year since 1996. Dubuque County has the highest number of cases, with 120. County is reporting 43, Black Hawk 37 and Linn County 21. County has five cases,

the state said, but local officials said two more have been added to the list. Muscatine County reports five, County four, Clinton County two and Cedar County one. A significant number of the cases are on college campuses, where students live in close quarters, officials said. Also, some of the students may have been immunized before the two-dose rule for mumps vaccine went into effect, Quinlisk said. Daycares and schools are not seeing significant outbreaks. At Augustana, none of the cases have been confirmed. Students and staff members are being taught about how to prevent the disease and what to do if they think they have it. Letters also have been sent to parents. In Illinois, public health officials report 15 cases in the state. At Genesis, officials are examining the health histories of 4,000 employees to determine whether they should receive an

immunization. At Trinity, a “mumps mobile” is traveling to vaccinate employees who have partial or no documented mumps vaccine. “It is critical that we provide the safest environment for our patients and each other,” said Lounsberry, Trinity spokeswoman. Ann McGlynn can be contacted at (563) 383-2336 or amcglynn@.... BY THE NUMBERS What it is: It is an infection caused by the mumps virus. How it spreads: Mumps is spread by airborne transmission with mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person, usually when a person coughs or sneezes. The symptoms: The most common symptoms are fever, headache and swollen salivary glands under the jaw. They may appear 12-25 days after infection, but usually

within 18 days. Treatment: There is no specific treatment. Supportive care should be given as indicated. What to do: Anyone with mumps should not go back to child care, school or work until 5 days after symptoms began or until they are well, whichever is longer. Source: Iowa Dept. of Public Health

Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates.

April 7, 2006

In one paragraph the director of Health in Iowa states that the vaccine is 95 per sent effective against contracting mumps. But the next paragraph states that 68 per cent of those who got the mumps had all the necessary vaccines. Now I know I'm not a math wiz, but is something amiss here? <redhead60707@...> wrote: http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2006/04/07/news/local/doc4435fdd2a5d09932742889.txt Iowa mumps cases make another jump By Ann McGlynn | Comments(0) The number of mumps cases in Iowa continues to grow, while leaders at Augustana College in Rock Island are reporting about 20 students with mumps-like symptoms. Medical officials at Genesis and Trinity medical centers are evaluating employee records to make sure those who are not fully immunized against the disease receive a shot to prevent its further spread. In Iowa, 365 cases of mumps were confirmed or suspected as of Thursday, up from 300 on Tuesday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is calling the outbreak the largest in the country since 1988. Mumps is a virus spread through the air by mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person, usually when that person coughs or sneezes or shares a utensil or drinking glass with another. “People are starting to feel like we can’t do anything. That is not true. What you can do is everything we

teach people every day. Wash your hands. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Take care of yourself physically. Those are all things people can do to stay healthy,” said Mincer Hansen, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health. And, she said, get vaccinated if not already and make sure your children are vaccinated. The vaccine against mumps, she said, is 95 percent effective, which means that 95 of 100 people who receive it will be immune. Approximately 68 percent of the people who contracted the mumps in Iowa this year did receive both recommended doses of the vaccine. Others received just one of the two shots, and others were not vaccinated. Hansen, along with state epidemiologist Quinlisk, said the strain is the same as the one that has infected approximately 55,000 people in the United Kingdom, which has lower immunization rates that the United States. It is known as Strain

G. That epidemic peaked last year, officials with the CDC said in a notice about the Iowa outbreak published last month. An average of 265 mumps cases have been reported each year since 2001, federal officials said. In Iowa, the average is five cases each year since 1996. Dubuque County has the highest number of cases, with 120. County is reporting 43, Black Hawk 37 and Linn County 21. County has five cases, the state said, but local officials said two more have been added to the list. Muscatine County reports five, County four, Clinton County two and Cedar County one. A significant number of the cases are on college campuses, where students live in close quarters, officials said. Also, some of the students may have been immunized before the two-dose rule for mumps vaccine went into effect, Quinlisk said. Daycares and schools are not seeing significant outbreaks. At Augustana, none of the cases have been confirmed. Students and staff members are being taught about how to prevent the disease and what to do if they think they have it. Letters also have been sent to parents. In Illinois, public health officials report 15 cases in the state. At Genesis, officials are examining the health histories of 4,000 employees to determine whether they should receive an immunization. At Trinity, a “mumps mobile” is traveling to vaccinate employees who have partial or no documented mumps vaccine. “It is critical that we provide the safest environment for our patients and each other,” said Lounsberry, Trinity spokeswoman. Ann McGlynn can be contacted at (563) 383-2336 or amcglynn@.... BY THE NUMBERS What it is: It is an infection caused by the mumps virus. How it spreads: Mumps is spread by airborne transmission with mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person, usually when a person coughs or sneezes. The symptoms: The most common symptoms are fever, headache and swollen salivary glands under the jaw. They may appear 12-25 days after infection, but usually within 18 days. Treatment: There is no specific treatment. Supportive care should be given as indicated. What to do: Anyone with mumps should not go back to child care, school or work until 5 days after symptoms began or until they are well, whichever is longer. Source: Iowa Dept. of Public Health Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates. __________________________________________________

April 7, 2006

No, the only thing amiss is the failure to recognize folklore posited for scientific testing, good policy and good sense.

Re: Iowa mumps cases make another jump

In one paragraph the director of Health in Iowa states that the vaccine is 95 per sent effective against contracting mumps. But the next paragraph states that 68 per cent of those who got the mumps had all the necessary vaccines. Now I know I'm not a math wiz, but is something amiss here? <redhead60707@...> wrote:

http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2006/04/07/news/local/doc4435fdd2a5d09932742889.txt

Iowa mumps cases make another jump

By Ann McGlynn | Comments(0)

The number of mumps cases in Iowa continues to grow, while leaders at Augustana College in Rock Island are reporting about 20 students with mumps-like symptoms.

Medical officials at Genesis and Trinity medical centers are evaluating employee records to make sure those who are not fully immunized against the disease receive a shot to prevent its further spread.

In Iowa, 365 cases of mumps were confirmed or suspected as of Thursday, up from 300 on Tuesday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is calling the outbreak the largest in the country since 1988.

Mumps is a virus spread through the air by mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person, usually when that person coughs or sneezes or shares a utensil or drinking glass with another.

“People are starting to feel like we can’t do anything. That is not true. What you can do is everything we teach people every day. Wash your hands. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Take care of yourself physically. Those are all things people can do to stay healthy,” said Mincer Hansen, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health.

And, she said, get vaccinated if not already and make sure your children are vaccinated. The vaccine against mumps, she said, is 95 percent effective, which means that 95 of 100 people who receive it will be immune.

Approximately 68 percent of the people who contracted the mumps in Iowa this year did receive both recommended doses of the vaccine. Others received just one of the two shots, and others were not vaccinated.

Hansen, along with state epidemiologist Quinlisk, said the strain is the same as the one that has infected approximately 55,000 people in the United Kingdom, which has lower immunization rates that the United States. It is known as Strain G.

That epidemic peaked last year, officials with the CDC said in a notice about the Iowa outbreak published last month. An average of 265 mumps cases have been reported each year since 2001, federal officials said. In Iowa, the average is five cases each year since 1996.

Dubuque County has the highest number of cases, with 120. County is reporting 43, Black Hawk 37 and Linn County 21. County has five cases, the state said, but local officials said two more have been added to the list. Muscatine County reports five, County four, Clinton County two and Cedar County one.

A significant number of the cases are on college campuses, where students live in close quarters, officials said. Also, some of the students may have been immunized before the two-dose rule for mumps vaccine went into effect, Quinlisk said. Daycares and schools are not seeing significant outbreaks.

At Augustana, none of the cases have been confirmed. Students and staff members are being taught about how to prevent the disease and what to do if they think they have it. Letters also have been sent to parents.

In Illinois, public health officials report 15 cases in the state.

At Genesis, officials are examining the health histories of 4,000 employees to determine whether they should receive an immunization. At Trinity, a “mumps mobile” is traveling to vaccinate employees who have partial or no documented mumps vaccine.

“It is critical that we provide the safest environment for our patients and each other,” said Lounsberry, Trinity spokeswoman.

Ann McGlynn can be contacted at (563) 383-2336 or amcglynn@....

BY THE NUMBERS

What it is: It is an

infection caused by the mumps virus.

How it spreads: Mumps is spread by airborne transmission with mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person, usually when a person coughs or sneezes.

The symptoms: The most common symptoms are fever, headache and swollen salivary glands under the jaw. They may appear 12-25 days after infection, but usually

within 18 days.

Treatment: There

is no specific treatment.

Supportive care should

be given as indicated.

What to do: Anyone with mumps should not go back to child care, school or work until 5 days after symptoms began or until they are well, whichever is longer.

Source: Iowa Dept. of Public Health

Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates.

__________________________________________________

April 7, 2006

Does this give you some idea of what we've been dealing with in Iowa???

Barb