YOUNG people in Evesham were urged this week to make sure their MMR jabs are up-to-date following a massive rise in the number of cases of mumps.

There were 25 notified cases of the virus in Wychavon district for the first three months of this year compared to none for the same period last year.

Dr David Kirrage, director of the Hereford and Worcestershire health protection unit, said: "There has been a national epidemic which has been reflected locally,"

In 2004 there were 838 laboratory-confirmed cases in the West Midlands compared to 29 for 2003.

Cases in England and Wales rose from 1,549 in 2003 to 8,104 last year.

Overall, the number of cases notified by GPs in the first three months of 2005 has soared to more than 15,000 compared to just under 16,500 for the whole of 2004.

Because of the number of cases GPs are now being advised to treat all suspected cases as clinical mumps rather than wait for confirmation by labs.

The majority of cases - 70 per cent - were among young people aged 15 to 24, who were either too young to receive the MMR jab or who only received a single injection.

"We are recommending that people have two injections.

"If they have had one they should have another one and if they have never had one we are recommending they have it," said Dr Kirrage.

Mumps results in swelling of the lymph glands under the jaw and mild, flu-like symptoms in most cases.

Dr Kirrage said that it can "very occasionally" lead to more severe symptoms, including a form of mumps meningitis and testicular swelling, which has allegedly been linked to infertility.

"Once you have it the best thing is to stay at home, take some aspirin or paracetamol and drink plenty of fluids," he said.

"You are infectious for two days before the swelling starts and for about nine days after.

"People should get these jabs up-to-date because there is a danger of mild side-effects.

"If you are coming up to taking your GCSEs you will want to avoid mumps," said Dr Kirrage.

He said there had been a "slow tailing off" in the number of cases reported in the area in recent weeks as people have heeded the call to update their jabs or the most susceptible have already caught mumps.