By the A.M. Costa Rica staff


The Ministry of Health ordered the prohibition of visits and transfer of prisoners, until Sep 25nd, due to the outbreak of mumps that has affected five prisons.

According to the Ministry, there are 103 cases of people infected with the mumps virus. Of which, 36 are in isolation.

In addition to medical care for the patients, Social Security has implemented other preventive measures, such as disinfection of surfaces and vaccination plans to control against contamination of other viruses to both prisoners and administrative staff.

According to Dr. Dixiana Alfaro, from National Health Services, surveillance has been intensified to detect infected patients. As well as increasing the cleaning and decontamination of all areas in jails.

As A.M. Costa Rica previously reported on Sept 9, the outbreak of mumps in five prisons, located in San José*, Alajuela*, Pérez Zeledón*, Pococi*, and Limón*.

According to specialists, mumps is a viral disease caused by a virus. Initial signs and symptoms often include fever, muscle pain, headache, poor appetite, and feeling generally unwell. This is then usually followed by painful swelling of one or both parotid salivary glands.

The transmission of the virus occurs through the contact of fluids from the nose and saliva.

In July, the Ministry reported an increase of hepatitis in the province of Alajuela.

Hepatitis A mainly affects the liver and is transmitted orally when an uninfected and unvaccinated person eats or drinks food or water contaminated by feces of a person infected by that virus or by direct contact with an infected person during work, school or other daily activities.

There has been an increase in the reported cases of patients with hepatitis A in the province of Alajuela. On average eight new cases have been detected per week, the Ministry said.

According to Rodrigo Marín Rodríguez, director of health surveillance, this increase in cases has no relation to the consumption of drinking water.

The water was examined and it was found to be free of disease, Marin said. "I want to tell the population that if it had been an outbreak of water, there would have been hundreds of cases."

The increase was detected in the last ten weeks and described as a "low-level threat".

In January the Ministry confirmed 33 cases of hepatitis A in Puntarenas. Those cases were reported in the towns of Chacarita, Barranca, Esparza, El Roble, and Lepanto.

Marín urged the people of Puntarenas to take preventive measures and avoid new cases, saying: "Self-care and food safety are the most effective measures to combat Hepatitis A. Self-care refers in this case, to proper personal hygiene practices such as proper and regular hand washing."

The study of the cases and the laboratory samples for the research carried out by the epidemiologists now point to the source of contamination, poor hygiene in the preparation of food products and the presence of feces in the food.

After the confirmation of the cases, the Ministry of Health issued an alert to intervene and activate the health protocols in the active surveillance of new cases, both in the health services and in the population close to the suspected cases.

According to the Ministry, all patients are treated by the health services of Social Security. Meanwhile, the Public Water Institute monitored the pipelines to ensure the water is suitable for human consumption.




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Has there been an outbreak of hepatitis or mumps in your community?  We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com

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