HONOLULU – Students at Mililani High, Mililani Uka Elementary and Mililani Waena Elementary were provided alternate school lunches today as a safety precaution after a school food service worker at Mililani High was confirmed as having the mumps virus. 

Mililani High School's cafeteria prepares approximately 2,500 school lunches daily for 1,000 students at the high school and 750 students at each of the two elementary schools.  All lunches prepared today were withdrawn as a safety precaution before lunch periods began after the school received confirmation of the mumps case from the State Department of Health (DOH).  Alternate lunches were purchased from Costco and provided to students.

"All of our food service workers follow proper health and safety procedures when preparing food and the decision to withdraw today's lunches was made in an abundance of caution for our students' health," said Complex Area Superintendent Bob Davis.  "All students were provided alternate lunches and our cafeteria facilities will be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly as they are each day."

Mumps is an easily spread disease caused by a virus.  It is spread through saliva or mucus via coughing, sneezing or talking, and also through physical contact with contaminated objects or surfaces.  Symptoms include swelling of the salivary glands in front of the ears, fever, headache, muscle ache, tiredness and loss of appetite.  The Hawaii State Department of Education continues to work closely with the DOH Immunization Branch to prevent the spread of the virus.

For more information about mumps, please visit the DOH website at: http://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/mumps.