Local Health Dept Update On Mumps And Zika In Hays County

Investigators trapped and tested mosquitos in the area and some did test positive

The Hays County Local Health Dept. has released the following information on the state of health affairs for the items below.

• A Comeback Story: Mumps!!!

Over the past two weeks, local health departments have reported over 70 new cases of mumps throughout Texas.

While the majority of the outbreak has been seen in North Texas, individual cases have been reported here in Central Texas too.

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of appetite. This is followed by swollen salivary glands.

Mumps is no longer very common in the United States, but outbreaks do occur.

The best way you can protect yourself and your loved ones is to ensure everyone in your family has received a mumps vaccination.

We are asking area providers to screen for mumps whenever it can be suspected.

• Zika Has Arrived

In early Texas December, investigators identified 4 suspicious cases of Zika infections. All of these patients currently live in the Brownsville area.

These patients did not travel to an area/country that has already been affected by Zika, so further investigation was conducted.

Investigators trapped and tested mosquitos in the area and were able to catch some that tested positive for Zika.

With this, Texas became only the second state to have locally acquired Zika infections.

Also in December, Hays County was notified of our first positive Zika patient. This patient traveled to Puerto Rico in August, where they contracted the virus.

They are no longer contagious, and none of their close contacts or neighbors have reported any signs or symptoms of Zika.

If you would like more information about Hays County Local Health Department you can visit their website at http://www.co.hays.tx.us/about-us-.aspx  or you can reach them by phone at 512- 393-5520.

You can find further information from these additional websites: 

• http://www.sos.state.tx.us/tac/ (Texas Administrative Code)
• http://www.co.hays.tx.us/about-us-.aspx (Health Department Information)
• http://www.dshs.texas.gov/idcu/investigation/conditions/ (Notifiable Conditions List 2016)