Jail sees rise in mumps as isle outbreak hits 209 cases

The number of mumps cases at Oahu Community Correctional Center has more than doubled in less than a month, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the state’s outbreak, which now tops 200 cases.

The virus has been spreading quickly at OCCC since the first case was confirmed July 12. State Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Toni Schwartz confirmed 20 cases of mumps Thursday, up from eight Tuesday.

“Of that number, 12 are currently still in isolation. The rest of the inmates who were confirmed to have mumps have been cleared and released from isolation,” Schwartz said. “No staff or visitors have reported contracting the illness.”

The state Department of Health said Thursday the statewide tally has reached 209 cases, up 13 percent from 185 last week.

“It’s definitely a much larger outbreak than in previous years,” department spokeswoman Janice Okubo said. “Last year we only had 10 cases statewide. People are spreading the disease; that’s what’s increasing it. Mumps is very contagious and easily spread.”

Okubo said the mumps count rose by double digits every week in July and is expected to continue increasing for the foreseeable future. “Our disease outbreak staff expects to see more cases,” she said.

One of Oahu’s newest cases was an infected OCCC inmate who was released before his illness was confirmed by the Health Department.

Beate “Trixi” Eurich said she was notified by the department Thursday that her son Adrian Bihag, 24, had tested positive for mumps. Eurich said Bihag was arrested May 2 and was serving time for a probation violation at OCCC, where he was exposed to the virus and vaccinated.

Eurich said Bihag signed up for drug treatment while in OCCC and was picked up there by Hina Mauka on Monday to begin a residential program. Hina Mauka did not return a call from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, but Eurich said her son was transferred from the treatment center to Castle Medical Center on Tuesday morning after his face started swelling. She said Bihag was released into her care Tuesday evening at the request of his probation officer.

“I’m scared,” Eurich said. “I was around my son. I got exposed.”

Eurich said she was vaccinated and that her doctor told her she could return to work, but the Health Department told her that her son must stay at home until Sunday.

“I would rather have him confined to a facility getting the help that (he) needs. We had trouble getting him to follow rules. I just hope he understands how serious this is,” she said. “OCCC has got an outbreak. I’m really worried that this thing could spread.”

Schwartz said she wouldn’t characterize OCCC’s count as an outbreak since “20 out of 1,200 inmates is a very small number.”

DPS health care staff are working closely with the Health Department to follow recommendations to prevent the illness from spreading, Schwartz said. Inmates who test positive are isolated until they are no longer contagious, while inmates who have come in contact with the infected prisoners have been immunized, she said.

Health officials, meanwhile, advise the public to practice good hygiene and to stay home when they feel ill, she said.

With the new school year starting, Okubo said, the department is working with public health nurses to publicize that mumps vaccinations are recommended. The vaccinations “are about 88 percent effective,” she added.

So far this year, Okubo said, no one has died from mumps, and only one person has been hospitalized. Still, officials recommend that people who are diagnosed with or suspected of having mumps isolate themselves for nine days after the onset of swelling to avoid exposing others, she said. People who have been exposed to the virus and have not been vaccinated are encouraged to avoid travel, work and school from days 12 to 25 after being exposed, Okubo said.

Given those recommendations, Eurich questions why DPS allowed Bihag to be released before OCCC knew the results of his mumps test.

Schwartz said OCCC released Bihag on his own recognizance per court order Monday because DPS does not have the authority to detain anyone past a court-ordered release date.

“Anyone who is ordered released from our custody, and is suspected to have a possible unconfirmed case of mumps, or confirmed to have contracted the illness, is given discharge instructions for home care in compliance with DOH recommendations,” Schwartz said.

Kimo Carvalho, director of community relations for the Institute for Human Services, said DPS did not notify IHS of the additional mumps cases despite the fact that the state’s largest homeless shelter is often the first stop for recently released inmates.

“We won’t refuse OCCC inmates, but we’ll be a little bit more alert to assessing their health,” Carvalho said. “If someone comes with a confirmed case, we’ll refer them to the hospital.”

Carvalho said the shelter has offered staff and clients free vaccinations through a partnership with CVS stores starting in May when a staff member exhibited mumps symptoms.

“For us, one case was enough for us to say that we need to take precautions, and it wasn’t even a confirmed case,” Carvalho said. “We run a public health facility, so we won’t put our clients at harm or risk.”