BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — Health officials have confirmed cases of mumps within the Calhoun County Jail.
The Calhoun County Public Health Department says there are no confirmed mumps cases outside the jail within the county. The health department and sheriff's office took immediate steps to separate inmates with mumps from the rest of the jail population, a press release stated.
"We began working with local and state health officials when the initial case was discovered," said Calhoun County Sheriff Matt Saxton in a press release.
It’s unclear from the press release how many inmates are confirmed to have mumps. So far, Calhoun County officials say there have not been additional cases in the jail since the initial outbreak and they provided MMR immunizations to unvaccinated jail inmates.
Mumps is a contagious disease spread by airborne transmission with mucus or droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person, usually when a person coughs, sneezes, or talks. The disease can also be spread by other means, such as sharing cups or eating utensils with an infected person.