Although Maseru District Health Management Team (DHMT) is aware of the mumps outbreak among children, there is no plan yet to combat this disease in the district, especially in schools.According to DHMT Public Health Nurse Mrs. Lereng Lekaka, the DHMT is currently embarking on measles vaccination campaign as it is more dangerous than mumps.

She said the mumps vaccine is one of the children vaccines which are administered to children under the age of five.However she appealed to parents to keep their children at home if they have mumps related symptoms such as fever, muscles aches and swelling under jaws to avoid infecting other children. She also urged schools to send children with such symptoms at home, saying they can go back to school after seven days following treatment.

Earlier in an interview with the Agency, Berea Hospital District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr. Liketso Mochochoko said that mumps is one of rare diseases which are caused by a viral infection that affects the salivary glands but the most affected part is the parotid gland located near the jaws.

He pointed out that mumps is common among children aged 15 years and below and those who are diagnosed with mumps usually present fever like symptoms, headache, muscles aches, tiredness and loss of appetite Meanwhile the Agency has leant that a number of children went to different health centres in Maseru recently due to mumps related symptoms. In addition, some schools have urged parents to keep their children at home if they have the above mentioned symptoms.