ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – The Department of Corrections says it’s addressing an outbreak of mumps at the jail in Bethel.

The department says four inmates during March and April were diagnosed with mumps at Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center.

Four more inmates this month have shown symptoms of mumps.

The department says mumps is not deadly but some people in rare cases develop meningitis.

Fever, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, and swollen and tender salivary glands under a person’s ears are among the symptoms of mumps.

The department says mumps is caused by a slow-moving virus and it can take months to identify the source of transmission and stop the spread.

The Corrections Department is offering mumps vaccinations to all jail employees, current inmates and inmates entering over the next 50 days.

Vaccinations will begin Monday.

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