5/24/2006

South Dakota Department of Health: School mumps clinics well underway

PIERRE, S.D. – More than 500 school staff received mumps vaccinations over the past few days during the Department of Health’s latest round of clinics. The agency announced last Tuesday that it would immunize faculty and staff at K-12 schools and through Monday, had given shots to 570 staff members at 21 schools with more clinics scheduled.

“Response to the clinics has been good and schools have been very cooperative about fitting this in during a very busy time of year,” said Secretary of Health Doneen Hollingsworth. “We expect to finish up most of the schools this week and have started working with adjustment training centers.”

The department has also identified mumps in a South Dakotan who was potentially infectious while on commercial airline flights May 9-10. While the risk is low, individuals who were on the following flights should watch until June 4 for symptoms that look like flu or an upper respiratory infection – fever, headache, muscle aches, malaise, and loss of appetite, followed by swelling glands in the cheeks and neck. Passengers on these flights who develop symptoms should contact their health care provider and let them know they may have been exposed to mumps: May 9 United Airlines #6786 (United Express/Sky West) from Sioux Falls, SD to Chicago, IL May 9 United Airlines #1102 from Chicago, IL to Toronto, Canada May 10 Air Canada #0511 from Toronto, Canada to Chicago, IL May 10 United Airlines #6839 (United Express/Sky West) from Chicago, IL to Sioux Falls, SD As of May 23, South Dakota’s mumps total included 52 confirmed cases, 57 probable cases and 25 suspect cases. More information about mumps is available at www.state.sd.us/doh/mumps .

Individuals needing immunization records should contact their health care provider. Records may also be available from the Department of Health, which maintains records for South Dakotans born 1966 or later. Call the department at 1-800-738-2301 to request a records search. The line has responded to more than 958 inquiries since opening May 10.

NOTE : If additional SD mumps cases connected with airline travel are identified, the information will be posted at www.state.sd.us/doh/mumps/travel .