SHEILA A. MATHEWS :::
The Spalding County Health Department on Thursday received confirmation that a Beaverbrook Elementary School student has been diagnosed with the mumps. Health Department officials then took necessary steps to inform the Griffin-Spalding County School System so that parents can be notified.
Parents of Beaverbrook Elementary School students will receive a letter today that explains their child may have been exposed to this disease, and provides information on how to prevent as well as recognize the mumps, and how to proceed should they have concerns about their student’s well-being.
Health officials say it is typically 16 to 18 days from the time of infection to the development of symptoms, but that it can be as long as 25 days.
People with mumps are infectious for two to five days after the onset of the parotitis – which is the swelling of the glands that often characterizes mumps. Individuals who are infected, but not yet presenting symptoms can still spread the mumps.
“Mumps is a viral illness and is spread through direct contact with respiratory droplets or saliva. Sharing cups, utensils and kissing can spread the virus,” the letter reads in part. “Mumps symptoms usually include pain, tenderness and swelling in one or both parotid salivary glands (cheek and jaw area). General symptoms may come before parotitis (swollen or tender salivary glands), including low grade fever, malaise (tiredness), headache, sore throat and/or myalgia (muscle aches). Some males may develop testicular swelling. Though most mumps cases develop parotitis, some only have general symptoms or no symptoms at all.”
If any child has developed mumps symptoms or develops any mumps symptoms prior to Dec. 26, 2017, parents are asked to immediately contact their health care provider and inform them of their child’s exposure.
District 4 Public Health, the Georgia Department of Public Health and Beaverbrook Elementary School will continue to investigate this situation.
District Health Director Olugbenga Obasanjo will be at Beaverbrook Elementary School at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 18, to answer questions.
If parents or health care providers have questions, they are encouraged to contact Spalding County Nurse Manager Cynthia Tidwell at 770.467.4737 or the Georgia Department of Public Health at 866.PUB.HLTH.
The GRIP 
If my child has had the mump shot are they still in danger of getting mumps.
My son had mumps in Spalding co back in 2009 his doctors were shocked said they hadn’t ever had a cashier of mumps come up in their career
Then, it looks like mumps exists in nature in Spalding Co. The question is, where is it dormant where someone is getting exposed to it and who is patient zero?