PARENTS are being urged to get their children vaccinated as mumps has been on the increase across the Fylde coast.
There have already been 20 cases of the disease on the Fylde coast so far this year compared to 16 for the whole of Lancashire and Cumbria in the same time in 2007.
Blackpool has the highest number of cases, with 10 so far this year, followed by W
yre with nine and Fylde with one.
InfertilityMumps – which can lead to complications such as meningitis, infertility and deafness – has been reported in 14 out of 20 local authorities in Cumbria and Lancashire. There have been 48 cases in the whole of the county.
It has mainly affected young individuals aged between 10 and 30.
Lisa Vallente-Osborne, health development nurse for Blackpool Primary Care Trust, said: "We do have an outbreak locally at the moment. There has been a considerable increase.
"Mumps is still prevalent, especially among teenagers and those at colleges and universities.
"Mumps is usually quite mild, but can be more serious, there can be complications.
"These can lead to sterility in rare cases.
"It can also lead to encephalitis and meningitis and occasionally people can develop deafness in one ear as a result of mumps.
"Pregnant women are also at risk in the first trimester – the first 12 to 16 weeks – of miscarriage."
Health bosses are urging local parents to get their children vaccinated in order to protect them from the virus.
Ms Vallente-Osborne said: "We want to reassure people that despite the controversy around the MMR vaccine a few years ago, the vaccine is perfectly safe.
"In fact, it is one of the safest because it has so much research done about it.
"We also run a programme for those who missed their second MMR, in schools, for school leavers and Year 10.
"Your GP will also be able to offer the immunisation.
"Everyone should make sure they or their children have had the two doses of the MMR vaccine – that's our key message."
The full article contains 343 words and appears in Blackpool Gazette newspaper.
