Disease

Mumps cases top 5,000 in the US

The mumps outbreak in the United States has eclipsed 5,000 cases with two weeks left in 2016, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments.

CDC data shows that through Dec. 17, 4,915 cumulative provisional cases have been reported from 46 states and Washington DC. However, the CDC numbers do not reflect the most up-to-date numbers provided by the states.

For example, CDC shows that Arkansas, the state with the most cases, has 1,900; however, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) puts the total at 2,270 through Dec. 20. This alone puts the national total well over 5,000.

A number of colleges and universities have been through and are currently experiencing outbreaks of mumps. At the University of Missouri, one of the most active college outbreaks currently, school health officials put the total at 265 cases since the beginning of the Fall semester.

India - Acute diarrhoeal disease outbreak

As many as 150 people have fallen sick so far after the outbreak of an acute diarrhoeal disease (ADD) in Taramani, Chennai allegedly due to water contamination. They have been admitted to the local hospital since December 15-20.