Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

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Source: http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12112615

Sanchez High student contracts mumps
Posted: Mar 09, 2010 6:46 PM EST Updated: Mar 09, 2010 6:57 PM EST

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - Already dealing with a situation where a student tested positive for active tuberculosis at Simon Sanchez High School, the Department of Public Health announced that another student was diagnosed with mumps, but has since returned to the Yigo school after a medical clearance was issued. ..

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Re: Guam: Mumps cases

Source: http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12179454

ossible 2nd mumps case at JFK
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 7:47 PM EST Updated: Mar 21, 2010 7:51 PM EST

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - Department of Education Superintendent Dr. Nerissa Bretania Underwood was informed today of a second possible case of the mumps - this time at John F. Kennedy High School. Dr. Underwood says while the case hasn't been confirmed by Public Health, she received word from the school nurse of the suspected case. JFK has contacted public health to come in and assess the student. ..

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Re: Guam: Mumps cases

Total now 4 cases confirmed...

Source: http://www.guampdn.com/article/20100...umps+confirmed

PUBLIC HEALTH 3 p.m. - Two more cases of mumps confirmed

Pacific Daily News ? news@guampdn.com ? March 24, 2010


3 p.m. ? Two more people have been diagnosed with mumps and their infections have been linked to a Simon Sanchez High School student whose disease was discovered about two weeks ago.

Anntte Aguon, the manager for the Department of Public Health and Social Services immunization program, said Guam normally gets about one case of mumps a year, but the virus rarely spreads from one person to another.

A fourth case of mumps was confirmed in a John F. Kennedy High School student last Friday, although Public Health is unsure if it is connected to the other three, according to a press release.

?We need to encourage people that if that have ay signs and system, please go get checked,? Aguon said.

Of the two newly confirmed cases, one is another Simon Sanchez High School student and the other is a person with close contact to the students, Aguon said...

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Re: Guam: Mumps cases

Source: http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/ind...ews&Itemid=156


DOE Declares Health Alert After 5 Confirmed Cases of Mumps

Written by Kevin Kerrigan Thursday, 25 March 2010 21:26

Guam -Guam School Superintendent Dr. Nerissa Underwood has declared a Health Alert for all of Guam's Public Schools now that 5 students have come down with confirmed case of mumps.


Underwood says that confirmed or suspected cases of mumps have now been reported in 4 different schools.

Those schools are Simon Sanchez High School where 3 cases have been reported. One case at JFK High and another case at Astumbo.

And Underwood told PNC News that an unconfrimed case has been reported at Jose Rios that is being investigated...

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/ind...ews&Itemid=156


DHSS: 100 Cases of Mumps Since January

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Written by News Release Thursday, 22 April 2010 13:46

Guam - Guam News
Guam - Since January 2010, over 100 cases of mumps have been reported to Guam Department of Health and Social Services. New cases are being reported daily and this case count will continue to increase. Cases have been reported from numerous communities and villages around Guam.
Mumps is a viral illness that can cause fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and painful swelling of the salivary glands under the ears. Rarely, people may have complications from mumps including painful swelling of the testicles in males after puberty, deafness, or swelling in or around the brain. Mumps can be spread from person-to-person through oral or respiratory secretions. Guam DPHSS urges the public to make sure that their shots are up to date to prevent mumps and other diseases. Although two doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine offers the best protection against mumps (with 90% vaccine effectiveness), a small number of people can still get mumps even if they have been vaccinated. People who are not fully vaccinated are at higher risk of getting mumps.

In order to stop the spread of mumps on Guam, Guam DPHSS is working on finding and interviewing cases, assessing risk factors, and developing the best response to stop this outbreak. A team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is assisting Guam DPHSS in this important work. The public is asked to report any illnesses with facial swelling to Guam DPHSS (see number below) and to have people sick with these symptoms stay home from work, school, or gatherings until 5 days after the swelling began. In addition, Guam DPHSS will soon begin calling some doctors? offices daily to check on any new mumps cases that may have been seen...

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.guampdn.com/article/20100424/NEWS01/4240309

Mumps underreported
By Laura Matthews ? Pacific Daily News ? April 24, 2010

he current outbreak of mumps in the community isn't a result of failure to check immunization records, but an underreporting of the disease, officials said.

The American Red Cross

The Department of Public Health and Social Services said it is through investigation that it found the number of mumps cases on island had grown.

Rita Oliva, acting supervisor for Public Health's Immunization Program, said once the department gets reports of the number of mumps cases from every clinic on-island, an investigator checks in with physicians to learn the progress of the patients.

The investigator then calls the patients' homes to find out how long they have been sick and if there are other people at the premises with an illness.

"That's how we found out there were probable cases," Oliva said. "They never went to see a doctor. We just don't know when it began because many people haven't gone to seek medical attention, and the symptoms may have been mild."
More than 100 cases

On Thursday, Public Health issued a release stating that since January, there were more than 100 cases of the mumps reported on island. It added that new cases are being reported daily...

...Two epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently on island helping Public Health manage the outbreak.

Amy Parker, a CDC epidemiologist, said researchers are finding that people who are up to date with the two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are still getting mumps disease...

...(2 of 2)

"It's about 90 percent effective when a person has two doses," Parker said. "So that leaves room for infection to occur because some individuals who are fully vaccinated may not be protected..."

...In March, Public Health confirmed five mumps cases on island, with four of the five cases reported at public schools. Public Health was monitoring 10 suspected cases then. Guam usually gets one or two cases of mumps reported each year, Public Health has said...

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://guamnewswatch.com/20100428184...Officials.html


Mumps Outbreak Draws Warnings From Guam Public Health Officials
Written by Tina Chau, Guam News Watch Anchor
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

GUAM - Last year a swine flu outbreak sprang responders into high gear. Several years ago, a bird flu alert. Now, as many as 160 reported cases of the mumps.

Public health is always on the ready when it comes to protecting us from communicable disease. But Public Health Director Pete Roberto warns, "Don't let isolated clusters catch you off guard".

Guam is too small to think an outbreak in the north won't travel south quickly.

J. Peter Roberto, Director, Public Health adds -

"Because of Guam and it's geography and Guam and its location, if there is an outbreak here on Guam and let's say that it's in a particular village or school, I think the fact that we acknowledge that there is an outbreak or there is an occurrence, that should be taken as if it was your next door. Because Guam is an island."

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12394914

Yigo student, faculty member have mumps
Posted: Apr 29, 2010 1:08 AM EST Updated: Apr 29, 2010 1:09 AM EST

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - Parents of students who attend Machanaonao Elementary School in Yigo are asked to take extreme caution, as there may be possible cases of the mumps at the school. Principal Robert Malay confirms that at least one student and one employee were sent home after they displayed symptoms of the virus...

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12413851
(click above to access video)

More mumps cases on the rise
Posted: May 03, 2010 1:36 AM EST Updated: May 03, 2010 11:59 PM EST

Health officials on alert over the mumps
1:53

by Michele Catahay

Guam - More suspected mumps cases have been reported in the last several weeks. While the Department of Public Health has said it received over 100 cases since January, it's apparent the numbers may have increased dramatically.

...While the first initial cases were reported out of Simon Sanchez High and JFK, Camacho says more northern schools are being closely observed. Those schools include Adacao Elementary, Chief Brodie, Machanaonao Elementary, Tamuning Elementary, Astumbo Middle, F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle, Untalan Middle and the J.P. Torres Alternative School. "JP Torres is not a northern school, but most of the schools who have been processed there are from the northern portion," he explained...

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/ind...ews&Itemid=156


Over 200 Mumps Cases Reported; Public Health Taking Active Steps To Control Outbreak

Last Updated on Thursday, 06 May 2010 17:03 Written by Josh Tyquiengco Thursday, 06 May 2010 17:00

Guam - Guam News
Guam- The Department of Public Health & Social Services is taking serious steps to control the recent mumps outbreak on Guam.

Over 200 cases of mumps have been reported to public health since January and health officials say, that case count continues to rise on a daily basis. So far, a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is helping the agency find cases and assess the risk factors of this outbreak.

Most cases reported are with upper elementary and middle school students, but almost all ages have been affected...

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12449849

Health officials fight Guam's mumps outbreak
Posted: May 08, 2010 12:30 AM EST Updated: May 08, 2010 3:39 AM EST
Video Gallery
Nearly 250 cases of mumps reported on Guam
2:34

by Lannie Walker

Guam - With the number of mumps cases on the rise, it's important that you recognize the signs and symptoms. Mumps can be prevented with the proper vaccinations, yet nearly 250 cases have been reported on Guam in the past few months. 148 of those cases are children between the ages of 6 to 18 - according to Student Support Services Administrator of the Department of Education Jessica Camacho, who says students must have updated immunization records in order to enroll in school.

She said, "When there is and outbreak look again to see if there is any specific immunization that needs to be double-checked like if the mump series has to be validated to make sure its and accurate mumps series."

Dr. Vince Akimoto with the American Medical Center added, "Well, we know some of the kids weren't vaccinated the problem the outbreak people got one or two of vaccines or none at all case where record not available or unfortunately just not correct." He physician says the mumps vaccine does have a 10% fail rate however, adding that 1 in 10 people just won't be strong enough to avoid infection.

Akimoto says a member of the center of disease control is currently on island looking into the outbreak, noting, "And in the school system it suggest there was a break down in the screening and we know that's possible because there were several schools that had no nurses at the beginning of school year."

KUAM News asked Camacho how it is possible that so many school age children have been infected, if it's mandatory that students shot records be updated, to which she replied, "This is what the CDC and Public Health are doing right now: gathering data on what may actually be happening with the outbreak. So data has been collected in the last two weeks, probably even longer, just to find out what is occurring here and what other measures may need to be taken with the students."

For Dr. Akimoto, measures need to be taken with in the system to prevent this type of outbreak. "The Department of Education does need to look at its School Immunization Program, of which I am the volunteer medical director, and admit it's failed - it's not functional, it doesn't work, it doesn't exist. They don't have vaccination program to catch-up people and they are relying on Public Health to do it and Public Health has made it clear the schools to do it and this needs to be corrected."

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pac...5/s2895358.htm

Guam warns mumps could spread to neighboring islands

Updated May 10, 2010 17:06:26

Health authorities in Guam are urging their neighbours to step up their vigilance against mumps. It follows reports of a cluster of suspected cases in the Federated States of Micronesia. About 200 cases have now been detected in Guam, making it one of the worst disease outbreaks to strike the territory in decades.

Presenter: Helene Hofman
Speakers: Annette Aguon, Supervisor of Guam Department of Public Health

* Listen:
* Windows Media

AGUON: Well, we've had approximately over 200 cases reported to public health since we started receiving cases several months ago. The main population affected is in school-aged children, roughly nine to 14 years of age, even in individuals who did receive two doses of MMI vaccine. However, we have seen cases reported in all age ranges, from children as well as adults.

HOFMAN: Has the rate of detection changed in the last month? How many cases are you now picking up say per day or per week?

AGUON: Because we initiated active surveillance within the schools, our public school system, high school health councillors in most of the schools and so they are working with other partners and reporting on a daily basis, even for zero reporting, so we have actually been seeing yes an increase in cases being reported on a weekly basis, sometimes we're averaging about five to ten suspect cases that are being reported to us.

HOFMAN: And how serious are the cases of mumps that you're seeing?

AGUON: They have been pretty mild, it is more of missing school and missing work. The issue is we do have large families, so it is crowded settings at home and so we are seeing it where within families members and close household contact that it is spreading from one individual to another.

There have been two hospitalisations, however, one individual had an existing cormorbidity and the other individual for a neck cellulitis, but other than that, the majority of cases have just been pretty mild thankfully and nothing to serious, loss of appetite. It is difficult to swallow and pain tenderness in the neck or ear area.

HOFMAN: How long are you expecting the colleagues that you have gotten from the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention in the States, how long are you expecting them to stay in Guam?

AGUON: They have actually given us support for as long as we need. We have to have a team of five on, Guam when we're ready we have had two colleagues kind of rotated out so they can go back to their main duties and the CDC and both the immunisation services division as well as the division of bio-diseases who has been very supportive and provided us not only with colleagues on the ground here on Guam, but also with the technical advice and knowledge to help us. The reclassification is definitely helping us with our line listing of reports updating information so that we can send out to our upper management as well as to CDC. In Atlanta, Georgia, they are also supporting us getting additional MMR vaccines so that we can do these catch up campaigns, so we really appreciate their assistance and ongoing support.

HOFMAN: Is this the first time that you have had to deal with an outbreak on this scale?

AGUON: For a mumps outbreak, yes. We've had other outbreaks in the past, but nothing this large. We've had a measles outbreak in 2002 as well as in 1994, but nothing of this magnitude and so we are working with our partners, locally as well as with the federal government to help try and contain this as well as getting the awareness of proper hygiene, because besides vaccination being the best way to prevent further spread of mumps its also proper cough etiquette, personal hygiene, not sharing contaminated cups or spoons, soda bottles and cans of someone who may have the mumps and definitely isolating an individual who already has the symptoms of mumps or is set to separate them from other individuals who may not have the MMR vaccine or unable to receive the vaccine because of either age or because of other medical conditions.

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/ind...ews&Itemid=156


Free Mumps Immunizations Saturday at Micro Mall
Written by News Release Wednesday, 12 May 2010 11:49

Guam - Guam News
Guam - The Department of Public Health & Social Services has announced a free Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) "catch-up" vaccination clinic this Saturday, May 15th.

Its being held at the Micronesian Mall from 10 am until 2 pm Saturday afternoon.

The clinic is for children aged 1 through 18 years of age who have not received their first MMR dose. MMR's will also be offered to those older than 18 for those who need to complete their series.Parents must bring the child's most current shot record.

Children below the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or adult authorized with authorized documents and a photo ID.

For more information call DPHSS Immunization Program at 735-7143.

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12480709

Guam averaging 5 mumps cases every day
Posted: May 13, 2010 11:17 PM EST Updated: May 13, 2010 11:17 PM EST

by Lannie Walker

Guam - A mumps outbreak continues on Guam. Five new, suspected, probable or confirmed cases are reported a day says Annette Aguon, the immunization program supervisor from the Department of Public Health. She says they are still collecting data to determine whether or not the outbreak has reached its peak - with over 200 cases reported since January.

Aguon says Public Health is continuing their efforts to contain the spread of the virus, telling KUAM News, "Tomorrow we are having our catch-up immunization just for MMR for those ages 1 to 18 who need their first dose of MMR, so for those that need their first will be offered tomorrow."

The free clinic will be open from 10am to 2pm on Saturday at the north wing of the Micronesia Mall in Dededo. Aguon adds it does take 1-2 weeks after the vaccination for a person to be protected from the virus.

The last outbreak of the mumps on Guam was in 1992 with a total of 33 reported cases.

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Re: Guam: 2010 Mumps cases

Source: http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12505244

School clinics stymie further spread of mumps
Posted: May 18, 2010 11:50 PM EST Updated: May 19, 2010 3:40 AM EST
by Michele Catahay

Guam - With the number of mumps cases on the rise, the Department of Public Health is doing its part to ensure the disease doesn't spread any further. Public Health is conducting clinics at seven schools on island...

...Public Health will be conducting immunizations at Adacao Elementary and F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School tomorrow and then Untalan Middle on Friday. Parents are urged to have consent forms signed. For more information on the mumps and other outreach efforts planned to help with the outbreak, you can call Public Health at 735-7143.