The HSE has issued a warning to students after an increase in mumps cases. They have urged students at colleges and universities to check if they are fully vaccinated against mumps.
132 cases of mumps have been reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) in the past week.
People should have had two doses of the MMR vaccine.
Being aware of the signs is the best way to catch the mumps. The most noticeable symptom is swelling and soreness in the area below the ear at the back of the lower jaw. The swelling can be present on one or both sides.
A person with mumps will also have many flu-like symptoms; a fever, sore throat, headache, earaches, fatigue, and loss of appetite.
If you think there is a possibility that you have mumps, contact your doctor. There is no medication to treat mumps but you can ease the symptoms in much the same way as you would with the common cold.
