Mumps outbreak in Zimbabwe : the case for universal MMR vaccination in Africa

Abstract

Cases of mumps have been recorded throughout the country of Zimbabwe. Though the total number of cases is currently unclear, Bulawayo alone is estimated to have recorded at least eight consecutive months of a mumps outbreak, with at least 240 cases of mumps reported between January and August 2023. In the recent past, mumps outbreaks have also been reported in other countries in the region, such as South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, and Zambia. Mumps is a contagious viral infection that mostly affects children. It affects the salivary glands, causing painful swellings under the ears and parotid glands, resulting in a characteristic ‘hamster face’ appearance [5]. Other symptoms include headaches, joint pains, fatigue, loss of appetite, and fever, which often precede facial swelling. In boys, it can also result in swelling of testicles.