A Mumps outbreak in New Jersey may be linked to a popular bar in Belmar, the Parent Herald reported.
The Monmouth County Health Department released a statement on Thursday discussing it's investigation into 22 "probable causes" of the disease.
"Twenty-one of the individuals are adults and most of them have been either a patron at or an employee of D'Jais in Belmar in the last several weeks. The one youth is of pre-school age," the statement read.
The statement mentioned that people experiencing swelling of the salivary glands, fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite should seek medical attention and notify the department.
The outbreak was first reported on Wednesday and D'Jais has not made an official comment. However, they released a tweet which said, "Want the #DJais truth watch @franksementa on #FOX5." Their account also retweeted several other tweets sent by patrons expressing their support for the bar.
Mumps is spread through saliva or mucus, usually after an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people vaccinated with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, as an infant and again between the ages of 4 and 6, are 90 percent less likely to contract the disease.
However, the CDC also notes that 50 percent of people infected have mild symptoms and don't realize they're sick and contagious.
Michael Meddis, the county's public health coordinator, said 15 individuals came forward within the past 48 hours.
"The medical professionals advised these individuals to be on bed rest, increase their fluid intake and take steps to reduce their fever," he said.
Within the past seven years, several regions in the U.S. experienced mumps outbreaks that infected thousands.
"In 2006, the United States experienced a multi-state outbreak involving 6584 reported cases of mumps. This resurgence predominantly affected Midwestern college students with the highest attack rates occurring among those living in dormitories. In the following two years, the number of reported cases returned to usual levels, and outbreaks involved fewer than 20 cases," the CDC website read.
"However, beginning in July 2009, the largest U.S. mumps outbreak since 2006 has occurred. The index case was an 11-year-old boy who had returned on June 17 from the United Kingdom where an ongoing mumps outbreak involves more than 4000 cases. Because of the potential for more extensive disease transmission, efforts should be made to heighten surveillance for mumps and assure that children and adults are appropriately vaccinated against this disease."
