2 additional cases of mumps confirmed at TDSB schools, 28 total cases in Toronto

A day after officials confirmed a case of mumps at a Toronto District School Board high school, public health staff say two other students have contracted the viral infection.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 28 confirmed cases of mumps in Toronto.

TDSB spokeswoman Shari Schwartz-Maltz said one of the two students goes to Hodgson Senior Public School and the other student goes to King Edward Junior and Senior Public School.

The TDSB announced Monday that a Forest Hill Collegiate Institute student was recovering at home after contracting the mumps.

Schwartz-Maltz said a cleaning “task force” is attending all three schools to sanitize hard contact areas.

READ MORE: Mumps confirmed at midtown Toronto high school: TDSB

Toronto Public Health Dr. Vinita Dubey told Global News Tuesday afternoon all three of the TDSB students came into contact with someone who had mumps. She said none of the students got mumps in the schools. Dubey said two of the students were inadequately immunized and one has unknown immunization status.

She said vaccines need to be administered after a child turns one year old.

Dubey said approximately 4,000 out of 350,000 Toronto school students are exempt from the mumps vaccine. She said for any parents who want to know about vaccine rates at a school, they can contact Toronto Public Health or the school principal.

Public health staff have been dealing with an outbreak of mumps in Toronto for weeks.

READ MORE: I’m vaccinated but I still got the mumps? Answering 7 common questions about mumps

Most of those infected are between the ages of 18 and 35 and a majority of the confirmed cases have been linked to bars in Toronto’s west end.

The mumps virus is found in saliva and respiratory droplets and is spread person-to-person, Toronto Public Health said. Mumps can be shared through coughing, sneezing, kissing, drinks, utensils, food or drink bottles.

Officials encouraged the public to check their vaccination records. Public Health said people born in 1970 or later should have two doses of the mumps vaccine. The health agency also encouraged people to watch for symptoms of mumps.