Four more cases of mumps in King County bring total to 58

SEATTLE – Four more cases of the mumps have been discovered in King County, bringing the total to 58.

King County Public Health said 11 cases are confirmed and 48 are probable, and that 38 of the patients are 17 or younger.

Four probable cases of the mumps are also being investigated in Pierce County.

The outbreak has grown steadily since three cases were confirmed at the end of November.

Mumps is at a 10-year high in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The latest tally as of November 5 is 2,879 cases in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus spread through saliva and mucus. The CDC recommends that children get two doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, but it is not 100% effective.