45% rise in cases of mumps reported this year

There has been a 45% increase in mumps this year, figures show.

Since the start of the year 191 cases were reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), compared to 104 over the same period last year.

Of all the cases reported so far this year, 93 (49%) were confirmed. Age groups most affected were the 20 to 24 age group (40 cases) and the 25 to 34 age group (33 cases) with more men (58%) than women affected.