Global Mumps Resurgence reported with 100,000 cases in 2025

Key facts

• Mumps is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects the parotid salivary glands, causing painful swelling near the jaw or cheeks.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported over 100,000 cases worldwide in 2025, primarily in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.
• The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is the primary tool for prevention, with two doses providing approximately 88 per cent effectiveness and one dose offering 78 per cent protection.
• According to WHO and CDC guidance, children should receive the first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12–15 months and the second dose at 4–6 years.
• Potential complications of the disease include orchitis (inflammation of testes), oophoritis (inflammation of ovaries), meningitis, encephalitis, pancreatitis, and hearing loss.
• There is no specific antiviral treatment for mumps, and infected individuals should isolate for at least five days after symptoms appear to prevent transmission.