Huge rise in mumps cases prompts vaccine warning

Date Published: 17-Mar-2009

THE HSE has warned young people in Galway to ensure they are vaccinated against mumps amid concerns over epidemic-numbers of the potentially dangerous disease, particularly among third level students.
HSE West’s Public Health Department has confirmed that there have been 257 cases of mumps in Galway between January and mid-March this year.
Most of the increase in cases in the West is in teenagers and young adults. There have been
98 cases alone in NUI, Galway.
Between January and mid-December last year, there was a combined total of 258 cases
reported in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, which was described by officials then as an unusually high outbreak. This compares with 18 cases reported in the whole of 2007.