(Orange City)–Iowa Department of Public Health
officials are warning northwest Iowans of a small outbreak of mumps cases.
State epidemiologist Patricia Quinlisk says eight cases have been reported in Sioux County. People may have been exposed to the
highly contagious disease in several locations in the county, including Dordt College in Sioux Center. (A complete list of exposure locations can be found at the end of this story).
Quinlisk says they have not located the original source of the
outbreak and expect more cases to appear.
Those who believe they
have been exposed should verify they have received vaccinations for the disease or contact a health care provider.
Mumps can be spread through the air and by saliva from an infected person. Symptoms include fever, aches and swollen salivary
glands. Those symptoms appear between 12 and 25 days after exposure.
Identified exposure locations in northwest Iowa include:
*April 12 through May 5, 2010 – Dordt College (Sioux Center)
*April 22, 2010 – Spirit Lake vs. Hull-Western Christian soccer game (Hull)
*April 23, 2010 – Hull-Western Christian Prom
*April 24, 2010 – Student dance at Dugout/Events Center (Granville)
*April 25, 2010 – Covenant Christian Reformed Church worship service (Sioux Center)
*April 25, 2010 – Emmanuel Christian Reformed Church worship service (Sheldon)
*April 26, 2010 – Hull-Western Christian School
*April 27, 2010 – Sweet 16 Lanes (Le Mars) – evening hours
*April 27, 2010 – Sibley Ocheyden School
*April 29, 2010 – Tofer’s Bar (Sioux Center) – evening hours
*April 29, 2010 – Root beer kegger at South View Apartments (Sioux Center)
*May 2, 2010 – Emmanuel Christian Reformed Church worship services (Sheldon)
*May 3, 2010 – Hull-Western Christian vs. Spencer soccer game (Spencer)
(Story from the Associated Press & Iowa Department of Public Health).
