North Texas mumps may be linked to cheerleading contests

DALLAS (AP) — The Texas Department of State Health Services is sending letter to attendees of four cheerleading competitions in North Texas, warning they may have been exposed to mumps.

KXAS reports (http://bit.ly/2i2MxX0 ) that the department is warning attendees of competitions in November and December in Dallas, Frisco and Arlington that those contests could have been the originator of some of the cases in the state’s worst outbreak of mumps in years.

The number of mumps cases in North Texas has jumped to more than 50 in recent weeks with cases reported in Johnson, Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant counties.

Health officials say symptoms of mumps generally develop within two weeks but can take up to 25 days to surface.

- FWBP Digital Partners -

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Information from: KXAS-TV, http://www.nbcdfw.com