Several schools in Nairobi have issued alerts to parents after suspected mumps cases emerged among pupils, according to Nation.Africa. The schools used communication platforms to urge families to monitor symptoms closely and keep any child showing signs of illness at home.
The notices warned that mumps spreads easily because it is highly infectious. The virus transmits through saliva, coughs and sneezes, and schools cautioned that infection can also spread when children share personal items.
One school advisory told parents and guardians that an outbreak had been reported within its area and wider school community, Nation.Africa reported. The advisory added that mumps can spread rapidly through everyday contact and called on families to stay vigilant.
Schools said parents should watch for symptoms including swollen and tender salivary glands, fever, headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of appetite, and pain when chewing or swallowing.
Some schools asked parents to keep symptomatic children away from classes until a medical professional evaluates them. The schools also said they had increased sanitation measures on their premises.
“We are taking extra measures at school to sanitise and monitor the situation,” another school said in a message to parents.
Parent Says Cases Have Persisted for Weeks
A parent who requested anonymity said some schools closed temporarily after cases appeared among pupils. The parent said the situation is not new, adding that their child had mumps the previous month as well.
“I had a friend whose son got mumps. My son, too, had it last month, so it is not like it is starting now. It has been there, and it is spreading; that is why we are seeing schools still offering the advisory a month later,” the parent said as quoted.
Health Officer Explains How Mumps Spreads
Public health officer Brown Ashira said mumps is a viral illness marked by painful swelling of the parotid glands, the salivary glands on both sides of the face. He said the infection commonly affects children aged 5 to 9, though it can also occur in teenagers and adults.
Ashira said mumps spreads quickly in school settings because infected people become contagious before symptoms fully show. He said an infected person can transmit the virus as early as 2 days before the swelling becomes visible, and individuals remain contagious for up to 5 days after the swelling starts, giving the virus time to move through a school before cases are identified.
Mumps spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and it can also spread through contact with infected saliva. He said crowded classrooms, shared water bottles, and close interaction among pupils increase the risk of transmission.
“When children are crowded together and coughing, they release respiratory droplets into the air, allowing others to contract the virus,” he said.
He urged schools to improve natural ventilation, strengthen hygiene practices, and enforce water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) measures to curb transmission.
Ashira said mumps can take time to surface after exposure. He said the incubation period lasts between 12 and 25 days, with most cases developing symptoms after 16 to 18 days, meaning infections may still appear even after an outbreak seems to have eased.
Health Ministry Says No Official Reports Received
The Ministry of Health said it had not received official reports of a mumps outbreak in Nairobi. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the ministry runs a vaccination programme that covers measles, mumps, and rubella, among other antigens.
Duale said the ministry would investigate the concerns through its public health surveillance systems and share updates once it has established the facts.
Ashira reiterated that vaccination remains the most effective protection against mumps and urged parents to ensure their children receive the recommended immunisations.
“Parents should ensure their children are vaccinated. The vaccination schedule depends on standard health programming, which begins from the time a child is born,” he said.
He advised the public against panic, urging communities to maintain hygiene, avoid close contact with infected individuals, and seek medical care as soon as symptoms show.
