PUTRAJAYA: The health authorities today quashed claims that the cluster of mumps cases detected in Putrajaya over the past few months was related to pilgrims who had just returned from performing their haj.
Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Health Department director Dr Zainudin Abdul Wahab said the cluster of mumps cases were due to patients who did not have the immunity to prevent the viral infection.
"Mumps can be prevented by the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination, which has been administered since 2002.
"Starting from April last year, the vaccine was given twice - at nine months old and one year old," he said in a statement.
Dr Zainudin said with more than 95 per cent immunisation coverage among babies in one locality could give herd immunity to protect children from being infected by the virus.
In this respect, he urged all parents to ensure their babies' vaccination was updated.
He said a cluster of mumps cases was first detected on July 25 involving several children from a school here.
"It recurred at the same school and in two other schools, bringing the total number of mumps cases to 17 until today (Oct 6).
"These cases have no correlation with the pilgrims who have just returned from Mekah or Madinah," Dr Zainudin said.
All patients, he said, were stable and had received outpatient treatment, adding that generally those who were infected by the virus could make full recovery after two to three weeks and complications rarely happened.
Following the cluster of mumps cases, he said, health education had been intensified to all students and teachers.
Dr Zainudin said the public with any symptoms of possible viral infection of the mumps-fever; headache; swollen, painful salivary glands on one or both sides of the face; muscle aches, weakness and fatigue; and loss of appetite to seek early medical treatment to avoid complications.