The Florida Department of Health, as of Dec. 11, has tallied 56 confirmed and probable cases of the mumps for 2017, which marks the highest number of single-year mumps cases seen in the state in more than a decade, according to a health department advisory to healthcare providers obtained by the Miami Herald.
While the 2017 mumps total for Florida marks a 10-year high, the number of cases identified in the state has been trending upward steadily over the last few years, with 10 cases in 2015 and 16 cases in 2016.
"Infections have been detected across Florida, with the most cases reported in Broward, Collier, Duval, Hillsborough and Palm Beach counties," said the health department in the advisory. "In October, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended a third dose of mumps-containing vaccine for persons who are identified by health department staff as at increased risk for mumps during an outbreak to reduce the risk of infection and complications. The Florida Department of Health will notify healthcare providers if outbreaks occur that would indicate a third dose of mumps-containing vaccine for specific at-risk persons or groups."
The increased number of mumps cases is indicative of national infection trends. In 2016, mumps cases in the U.S. topped 6,000 — the highest number of cases reported in 10 years.
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