Forty-two pupils of the schools of Monufiya were reported with mumps, including six cases in the Masaei School, seven in the Modern School, 14 in Quesna village, 12 in Ashmoun village and three in Bagour village.
All cases have been isolated in hospitals and given a 15-day compulsory leave.
Egypt has seen a rise in mumps cases and Dr. Amr Qandil, head of the Health Ministry’s Preventive Medicine Department, expects the figure to rise by March 2014.
Egypt has recorded 838 cases of mumps in September and October of this year, but Qandil assures that the spread of the inflections should not be a cause of alarm as the ministry is taking all necessary preventive measures.
Qandil explained that mumps is a contagious viral illness that shows symptoms in two to three weeks. “The symptoms are high temperature, headache, muscle pain, loss of appetite and pain in the salivary glands under the jaw or ear on one side the face,” he said.
He advised parents not to vaccinate their children. “They should just rest at home and avoid contact with others as much as possible,” he said, adding that homes should be well ventilated. “Infected children should cover their mouths while sneezing and should wash their hands frequently with soap and water.”
Edited translation from MENA
