Mumps sickens hundreds of detained migrants in 19 states
A government report says mumps has swept through 57 immigration detention facilities in 19 states since September.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday new mumps cases continue as migrants are taken into custody or transferred between facilities. As of last week, outbreaks were happening in 15 facilities in seven states.
It’s the first official report on the outbreaks in the overloaded immigration system.
Mumps is a contagious virus that causes swollen glands, puffy cheeks, fever, headaches and, in severe cases, hearing loss and meningitis.
The virus has sickened 898 adult migrants and 33 detention center staffers.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Bryan Cox says medical professionals at detention facilities screen new detainees within 24 hours of their arrival to ensure that highly contagious diseases are not spread.