Mumps infects student at Margaretta High School

CASTALIA — The Erie County Health Department is investigating a confirmed case of mumps at Margaretta High School this week.Margaretta Schools superintendent Dennis Mock said the impacted student was at school Tuesday. At about 10 a.m. Thursday, district administrators learned of the case after a parent of the infected student contacted them. The student was vaccinated against MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), Mock said.The district then disinfected areas where the student went in the school, sent out a one-call all-district message to families Thursday evening and provided information about mumps on its Facebook page. Families of unvaccinated students were also informed of the incident, Mock said.School continued Friday and the health department said the school's normal cleaning should occur this weekend, Mock said. Officials will continue to work with the health department next week.This is the first mumps case identified in Erie County this year, according to a health department news release.Mumps is a contagious viral disease with symptoms like fever, headache, and swelling of the salivary glands. Other symptoms associated with mumps are fatigue, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. The disease is spread through saliva or mucus on objects or surfaces touched by an infected person. Mumps does not linger in the air, so people at highest risk are those who share personal items with or who are within three feet of an infected individual (close contacts).The health department has provided recommendations to all Erie County school districts and is working to notify those who were in close contact with the student. Local residents, including those who live in the same community, have a low risk of getting mumps from this case, the news release stated.Vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals are at risk of contracting mumps, but someone who is fully vaccinated is nine times less likely to get mumps than someone who is unvaccinated with the same exposure. Additionally, a vaccinated person is likely to have a less severe illness than an unvaccinated person, according to the health department.To help reduce the risk of mumps, the health department recommends these precautions:• Get vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine if you haven't already.• Do not share food, drinks, water bottles, utensils or other personal items that may contain saliva.• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Wash your hands before eating or before touching your mouth.• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that may be contaminated with germs. Clean and disinfect communal surfaces frequently.• People who get mumps should stay home for five days after onset of symptoms and limit contact with others in their household.For more information on mumps, go to the health department's website at eriecohealthohio.com, the CDC's website at cdc.gov/mumps or the Immunization Action Coalition Mumps question and answer sheet at immunize.org. Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodA case of mumps was discovered at Margaretta High School this week. The district has taken precautions provided by the health department and informed district families about the case, superintendent Dennis Mock said.