Mar 12, 2019 - Health

Thousands quarantined at immigration centers amid rare mumps outbreak

More than 2,200 people have been quarantined as a result of exposure to mumps at 2 immigration detention centers in Colorado and Louisiana, according to the AP.

Why it matters: Mumps, a viral disease, can spread through coughing, sneezing or talking, which can be exacerbated in close quarters. But the incidence of mumps has declined by 99% since the 1960s when vaccinations were first publicly available, per the CDC. A 2016 outbreak at an immigration detention center ballooned into a statewide outbreak when some employees refused to be vaccinated.

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