No further cases of mumps reported - Jacksonville Daily News

No additional cases of mumps have been reported in Onslow County following a confirmed case last week at a base school.

Onslow County Health Department said this week no cases of mumps have been reported in the county this year and, according to Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Americas, there has only been the one case at a base school.

Last week a letter was sent home to parents at Tarawa Terrace Elementary School confirming a case in a student at the school. The case was confirmed at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune on Nov. 21.

Mumps is a contagious viral illness best known for causing swelling of the salivary glands below the ears and above the jaw.

The status of the student and whether or not they are back at school was not known.

“Under Department of Defense privacy regulations, we do not provide information about the health of an individual student,” said DoDEA Americas Public Affairs Officer Jade Fulce. “DoDEA requires a student to be cleared by a medical provider before returning to school.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccine is the best way to protect against mumps. While it is possible to get mumps even if vaccinated, the CDC said disease symptoms are generally milder in vaccinated people.

Like North Carolina’s public schools, students who enroll in DoDEA schools must comply with specific immunization requirements. Official proof of immunization must be provided at the time of initial registration and upon request of school officials.

Some exemptions apply for students for certain medical reasons, documentation of immunity, or religious reasons.

If there is an outbreak of a contagious disease, officials with DoDEA and Onslow County Schools say there are guidelines they follow for the protection and health of all students.

Military Public Health oversees any outbreaks and works closely with the schools on any health concerns that may impact the students, Fulce said.

In the case of a contagious disease, unvaccinated students may be required to stay home from school or excluded from school-related activities until it is determined the contagious period has passed.

“During a documented outbreak of a contagious disease, an unvaccinated student will be excluded from school and from all school-related activities including sports and after school programs for his or her protection and the safety of the other students until the contagious period is over as determined by the medical treatment facility, State Department of Health, or public health department,” Fulce said.

OCS follows similar policy.

“If a child has a confirmed case of a vaccine preventable disease, they may return to school when their physician and the Health Department allow,” said OCS Nurse Supervisor Lanell Perkins. “If a child has not been vaccinated, or has a weakened immune system, we will contact parents. Those who have not been vaccinated will have to follow established public health guidelines on whether or not they are allowed to stay in school. The amount of time any student is out varies by disease. Those students with compromised immune systems will be encouraged to contact their doctor so their health care provider can assist parents with making the decision to keep their child home or allow them to attend school.”

Reporter Jannette Pippin can be reached at 910-382-2557 or Jannette.Pippin@JDNews.com.

https://ift.tt/2RG9q3u