Mumps outbreak hits 157 cases

The number of mumps cases in Nova Scotia has risen to 157, but public health officials expect the outbreakto winddownas the university year comes to an end.

"We're hoping that next week we'll see the anticipated slowdown," Dr. Robert Strang, a medical officer of health, said Friday.

Most of the mumps patients are in their early 20s. With the university year ending, the number of casesin the Halifax areais expected todrop asstudents move away.

In fact, said Strang, this week Dalhousie Universityis reporting a significant decrease in the number of mumpscases it's seeing.

About 80 per cent of the 157 mumpspatients are in the Halifax area, but there are cases in Lunenburg and Queens counties and in the Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby areas.

"Certainly there's the potential for exporting mumps to other provinces," said Strang.

Health officials say this outbreak began in February and spread among the university-age crowd atbars, parties and other gatherings.

At Dalhousie, several sick students living on campus voluntarily isolated themselves in their rooms.

"Mumps is a highlyinfectious disease and so a single person with mumps likely infects a handful of other people," said Strang.

Peoplewith symptoms —fever, aches and pains, and swollen or tender salivary glands —are urged to see a doctor and limit their contact with others.

This is the third outbreak of mumps to hit Nova Scotia in two years. There were 13 reported cases in the spring of 2005 and 19 cases that fall, mostly involving university-age adults.

Strang said public health officials across the country are debating whether people should be given a second dose of the mumps vaccine.

About 20 per cent of those immunized against mumps don't respond to the vaccine, he said.