UPDATE: Further testing clarifies that River Road Middle School student does not have mumps
A student at River Road Middle School (6th - 8th grade) in Elizabeth City has been diagnosed with mumps, according to Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools.
The school district shared a letter with News 3 that was sent to families on Sunday, Jan. 12. The letter confirmed the student's diagnosis and asked families to contact the school nurse if their child has mumps symptoms.
Mumps, a contagious viral infection, is considered a rare disease in the U.S. In 2024, there were only 357 reported mumps cases nationwide, including seven in North Carolina and 11 in Virginia, per CDC reports.
Watch: What to know about mumps
The CDC says most people completely recover from mumps within two weeks.
Mumps symptoms include the following, according to the CDC:
- Puffy cheeks
- Tender, swollen jaw
- The most serious complication is brain inflammation
People who are infected with mumps don’t get sick right away, the CDC added. It can take two to four weeks for them to show symptoms.
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The CDC also shared how mumps is spread:
- Coughing, sneezing, or talking.
- Sharing items that may have saliva on them, such as water bottles or cups.
- Participating in close-contact activities with others, like playing sports, dancing, or kissing.
A person with mumps is contagious started a few days before their salivary glands begin to swell until up to five days after swelling begins.
Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools leaders say they're working closely with public health officials to monitor the situation and take appropriate measures.
The school district released the following joint statement with Albemarle Regional Health Services on Wednesday:
"On Sunday January 12, 2025, Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools (ECPPS) was informed one student attending River Road Middle School had been diagnosed with a suspected Mumps case. Upon this notification, ECPPS partnered with Albemarle Regional Health Services to initiate additional laboratory testing to confirm this diagnosis.
North Carolina General Statue 130A governs communicable disease control and reporting. With this statue, local health departments are charged with providing surveillance, investigation, reporting, prevention and control measures for over 80 reportable infectious diseases. Albemarle Regional Health Services, (ARHS), the local eight county district health department serving Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Camden, Currituck, Bertie, Gates and Hertford counties, collaborates with local partners to control the spread of communicable diseases in the community.
When a case is suspected or receives a preliminary diagnosis, ARHS staff work with the patient and the provider to ensure required testing, and a full investigation is done. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, if the case meets case definition and is confirmed, additional notices, control measures, and contact tracing are done to limit the spread of the illness.
Upon the receipt of official results, additional information will be shared."
