The Health Ministry announced Sunday that increased incidents of mumps have been reported in recent months. In September, 102 cases were reported in Israel, most of them in the Jerusalem area. The ministry said there was a similar increase in the United States.

The painful swelling of the saliva glands associated with the viral infection generally pass in a few days without treatment. The ministry stressed the need for the routine immunization of children at 18 months and upon entrance to the first grade as a way to protect against the illness, but said it was ready to provide vaccination in case of a local outbreak, subject to an epidemiologists checking the target population.