FAIRBANKS — Fairbanks health officials say two cases of mumps have been confirmed in the area.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that according to a statement from Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and Tanana Valley Clinic, both cases are associated with overseas travel.
Alaska health officials are working to prevent the virus from spreading and to contact everyone who may have been exposed to the infected patients.
The viral infection’s symptoms include swollen salivary glands, fever, jaw pain and muscle aches. It is spread by coughing, sneezing and sharing saliva.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the number of mumps cases in the U.S. can range from a few hundred to a few thousands. The last reported outbreak of mumps bin Alaska was in 1995.
