COLUMBUS, Ohio – Health officials tracking measles and mumps outbreaks in Ohio are urging residents to stay up-to-date on immunizations to prevent illnesses from spreading as the weather gets warmer.
The Ohio Department of Health says the spread of such diseases can accelerate when people gather in large groups, such as at picnics, camps, fairs and other common warm-weather activities.
Columbus Public Health has confirmed 333 mumps cases have been linked to outbreaks in Franklin, Delaware and Madison counties, 198 of those cases linked to the Ohio State University outbreak first reported in January.
Officials say the origin of the outbreak might never be known.
A measles outbreak is being tracked a bit farther to the northeast in a six-county area. Twenty-nine of the 42 confirmed cases are in Knox County. Officials say that outbreak began with unvaccinated travelers who visited the Philippines, which has had a measles epidemic.
The city of Columbus has reported 239 of the 328 mumps cases in Franklin County; Delaware County has 34 and Madison County has four.
In addition to the 34 cases of measles in Knox County, nine have been reported in Ashland County, five in Holmes County, four in Coshcton and one each in Richland and Wayne counties.