Health Ministry raises alert in Damietta as more mumps cases emerge

Health Ministry officials in Damietta warned residents on Wednesday as four new suspected mumps cases were reported at a primary school in Shata city.

The provincial ministry department north of Cairo said it immediately imposed preventive health measures when the new infections came to light.

Dr. Saeed Tarbay, who heads Damietta’s medical insurance department, said a survey team has been formed to test students across Shata's schools. He also said he had ordered quarantine areas to be set up.

Tarbay said the situation is under control and there is no significant danger to students from the virus.  

According to the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Mumps typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, and is followed by swelling of salivary glands. Anyone who is not immune from either previous mumps infection or from vaccination can get mumps."

There is no specific treatment for the mumps virus but supportive care should be given as needed, according to the CDC website.

Hundreds of mumps cases have been reported across Egypt since the start of the school year, according to the ministry.