On Jan. 3, the Arkansas Department of Health increased the count of mumps cases under investigation to 2,416.
The recent update marks a 216 case increase since Dec. 16. The count includes both confirmed cases and cases under suspicion. The outbreak has been ongoing since August, 2016. Currently, there are 40 workplaces, 38 public schools across nine school districts, three colleges/vocational schools and three private schools experiencing at least one outbreak related case.
The mumps are best known for painful, swollen salivary glands that cause puffy cheeks and swollen jaw. It is a highly communicable disease transmitted by person-to-person contact and is typically accompanied by initial symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite.
According to the CDC, cases of the mumps in the U.S. hit a 10-year high in 2016.
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