Mumps outbreak decreasing in Tonga Featured
28 August, 2017. Tonga's Ministry of Health says it believes the recent mumps outbreak in the Kingdom has reached its peak.
From March to this month, over 1600 cases were recorded across the Kingdom, the peak being in June when over 200 people were infected.
The chief medical officer for the Ministry of Health's Public Health Division, Reynold Ofanoa, said most of the cases were children between five and 14-years-old.
Dr Ofanoa said it was good to see the number of cases falling.
"From June until now, week by week we have seen a decrease in the number of cases in comparison to the previous weeks," he said.
"We are hoping soon we will be able to declare that the outbreak is over."
Dr Ofanoa said officials were still unsure where the first outbreak occurred.
Mumps is contagious and typically contracted through saliva and close personal contact.
-RNZI
