Know About These Signs And Symptoms Of Mumps That Is Spreading Rapidly In North India
The number of mumps cases is rising across different regions of North India. As per the latest data, around 35 school-going children in the age range of 5 to 10 years across many schools of Hamirpur town have been infected with mumps. Health experts have urged people not to self-treat and consult a doctor once the symptoms start to appear. Last year in December, a rise in mumps cases was witnessed in states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana. Mumps is a viral and contagious disease that is led by the mumps virus, which comes from the Paramyxovirus family. Mumps mainly impacts the salivary glands, causing inflammation and swelling particularly in the parotid glands, which are positioned just below and in front of the ears. Nevertheless, the disease can affect other organs like the testes, pancreas, ovaries, and central nervous system as well.
Headache, fever, muscle pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, swelling, and tenderness of the salivary glands are some common symptoms of the disease. Swelling and tenderness of the salivary glands can cause a typical ‘chipmunk cheek” appearance. It spreads via respiratory droplets when an affected individual sneezes, coughs, or through close contact with contaminated surfaces. Inflammation of other organs, like ovaries, pancreas, the brain (encephalitis), testes, and pancreas are some rare complications that occur due to mumps infection. If infection occurs during pregnancy, it may pose hazards to the developing fetus.
it is essential to consult a healthcare professional if such symptoms are seen for timely diagnosis and treatment. There is no sure-shot antiviral treatment to cure mumps, however, it can be managed by relieving symptoms and averting serious complications. Sufficient hydration, rest, and over-the-counter painkiller drugs can help reduce distress and fever. Using cold or warm compresses on swollen glands might be helpful. Infected individuals need to isolate themselves to avert the further transmission of the virus. MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) shot is considered the most efficient preventive tactic to prevent the disease