Study shows mumps surge, DPH recommends making it notifiable

Chennai: Mumps should be made notifiable disease, directorate of public health has recommended, adding that vaccination against the viral infection which primarily affects the salivary glands should be included in the universal immunisation programme.
Although considered a mild self-limiting illness, it can have serious consequences for unvaccinated children.A TN directorate of public health study based on cases reported on the infectious disease portal showed an outbreak of mumps in 2024, with incidence per lakh population rising from 0.07 in 2021-22 to 1.30 in 2023-24. The data is underreported as many hospitals told TOI they did not reported cases of mumps "as it is not a notifiable disease".
For the cross-sectional study conducted from April to June, officials gathered data on cases reported on the Integrated Health Information Portal under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme between April 2021 and March 2024. Mumps cases, defined as an acute onset of unilateral or bilateral tender, self-limited swelling of the parotid or other salivary gland, lasting two or more days and without other apparent causes, were classified as suspected (shows symptoms), probable (has epidemiological link) or confirmed cases (lab confirmed or epidemiologically verified). Between April 2021 and March 2024, 1,281 presumptive cases of mumps - 56.05% women - were documented on the IDSP-IHIP digital platform. At least 70% of the cases were children under 9, and 10% were between 10 and 19, said the study's first author Narmatha K.
There has been a steady increase in reported cases in TN, rising from 61 in 2021-22 to 129 in 2022-23, and 1,091 in 2023-24. In the first year, Coimbatore had 15% of the cases, followed by Dharmapuri with 11%. In 2022-23, Thiruvarur had 51% of cases and Nagapattinam 11% and Chennai 4%. By 2023-24, Chennai had 27% of cases. "Sharp increase in cases in the first four months of 2024 confirmed an outbreak," said director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam. It shows there may be underlying factors such as changes in environmental conditions, population dynamics, or vaccination coverage, he added.
Indian Paediatric Association president and professor of paediatrics at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in Bengaluru Dr G V Basavaraja said morbidities due to disease often go unnoticed as deaths are now low. Doctors said that these complications are relatively uncommon, especially in children. However, the risk of severe complications is significantly reduced through vaccination.
Centre introduced measles vaccine in universal immunization programme in 1985 and in 2017 introduced measles and rubella vaccine to eliminate them from the country by 2020. The DPH study recommends making mumps a notifiable disease in TN to improve control measures. To successfully combat the spread of the mumps component may be added to UIP schedule as per GOI procedures, Dr Selva Vinayagam said.