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Mumps Cases Confirmed In Fayette County

AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

Laboratory tests have confirmed two cases of the mumps in Fayette County.

The rare but contagious disease showed up in ten confirmed cases in 2016, and health authorities are urging residents to protect themselves and the community by keeping up-to-date on the measles-mumps-rubella or MMR shot.

"You look across the country and you'll see that these types of outbreaks are happening in different communities and there are several reasons for that," Kevin Hall with the Fayette County Health Department says. "One is that no vaccine is 100 percent effective, so in a lot of cases you'll see people who have gotten the vaccine and it either weakens over time or, at best, are 70 to 80 percent effective."

Mumps typically lasts a week to ten days. It’s often identified by one tell-tale sign: swollen glands under the ears or jaw. Other symptoms include fever, headaches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.

The disease is spread through coughing and sneezing.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.