|
Preliminary Report:
18th February 2005
Fever and parotid
gland swelling in children in Hulhumale, Maldives
Problem
Identification
The Department of Public Health,
Ministry of Health was notified of 9 cases of suspected mumps occurring in a
camp that was set up in Hulhumale to house displaced persons.
Background
Thirteen families from affected islands were relocated
to Hulhumale on January 20th 2005. Prior to this, from December 26th 2004, they were being housed in Male.
There are 79 people in total in the camp, with one child
under 5 years and seven aged 5 to 15 years. Families share sleeping
accommodation. There are shared bathroom facilities and communal washing and
ironing areas.
There are about 1600 people living on the rest of the island
and the children from the camp attend the school on the island.
There have been reports of mumps notified to the
Department of Public Health from Male before the tsunami and this data will
be retrieved tomorrow.
Mumps immunization is not part of the routine
immunization schedule on the island.
Mothers have confirmed that all required immunizations
have been completed. The records kept on the islands of origin will have been
destroyed.
Action Taken
A team (Ministry of Health, WHO) went out to visit the
camp today (Friday 18th February
2005).
We were accompanied by the Director of the hospital on the island and the
paediatrician who made the diagnosis in the children.
Descriptive Epidemiology
Nine children aged 3 to 16 years have been given a clinical
diagnosis of mumps based on a case definition of fever and parotid gland
swelling. They come from four families of the 13 displaced families within
the camp. These four families come from three islands, Villufushi, Madifushi
and Kandholhudhoo. Two of the affected families come from Villufushi. The
date of onset of the index case was January 30th
2005.
Table 1 describes the characteristics of the children
affected.
Table 1 Description
of cases
|
ID no.
|
Age
|
Gender
|
Date of onset of symptoms
|
Symptoms
|
Island of Origin
|
Outcome
|
|
1
|
3
|
M
|
30/01/05
|
Fever,
parotid gland swelling
|
Villufushi
|
Discharged
from isolation
|
|
2
|
9
|
M
|
14/02/05
|
Fever,
not resolving, parotid swelling, vomiting, abdominal pain
|
Villufushi
|
Referred
to IGMH 18/02/05; discharged 19/02/05.
|
|
3
|
16
|
M
|
15/02/05
|
Fever,
parotid gland swelling
|
Villufushi
|
Referred
to IGMH 19/02/05 with scrotal swelling
|
|
4
|
12
|
M
|
15/02/05
|
Fever,
parotid gland swelling
|
Villufushi
|
|
|
5
|
13
|
F
|
15/02/05
|
Fever,
parotid gland swelling
|
Madifushi
|
|
|
6
|
10
|
M
|
16/02/05
|
Fever,
parotid gland swelling
|
Villufushi
|
|
|
7
|
14
|
M
|
16/02/05
|
Fever,
parotid gland swelling
|
Villufushi
|
|
|
8
|
15
|
M
|
18/02/05
|
Fever,
parotid gland swelling
|
Kandholhudhoo
|
|
|
9
|
15
|
F
|
18/02/05
|
Fever,
parotid gland swelling
|
Kandholhudhoo
|
|
|
NB. Cases from the same family colour coded.
|
Laboratory
Diagnosis:
None. Mumps test
kits not currently available in Male. We have requested these from SEARO.
Control Measures:
All affected children are being kept in a separate camp
and are being treated symptomatically. Other members of the camp are being
monitored. The Department of Public Health will be notified of any new cases.
|
