Mumps over in Grant County

The mumps outbreak in Grant County is over.

So says Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny, who stated last Wednesday that the county has gone through two incubation periods (50 days) without a single new case of mumps reported.

The county’s last case of mumps was reported May 9.

Brzezny stated that the county will still be active in monitoring the situation. There is the potential for sporadic cases since other counties are still reporting cases of mumps.

County health officials were quick to thank Columbia Basin Job Corps leadership in assisting the health staff. Because of their help, health officials stated, mumps did not spread into the community.

Those with a higher risk of getting mumps include infants that are too young to get the MMR vaccine (under 1 year of age), children over 1 year who haven’t been vaccinated, teens and adults who are not up to date on their MMR vaccinations, and adults born in or after 1957 who have not been vaccinated nor had mumps.