A school in a village on the western side of Demoso, Karenni State, has been temporarily closed after an increasing number of Grade 4 students, around 10 years old, developed mumps, and the infection began spreading quickly.

“Grade 4 is the most affected. At first, there were just five students. The next day, it became eight, then nine. If the school kept running, all of them would end up infected. So the primary school has now been closed,” a parent said.

The parent added that both of their children have contracted mumps. Some of the affected students have a fever, while others show no fever and can still eat normally.

“Some children are completely normal, like they can eat, drink, and play. The only issue is mumps,” another parent said.

Nearly the entire Grade 4 class has been affected, and due to concerns that the infection might spread even further, the school decided to close, according to parents.

“They immediately closed the school and told us to take the children to the clinic as soon as possible. We’re worried now. We’re also displaced people,” another parent added.

The school offers classes up to Grade 12. There are over 100 primary-level students. Parents say that in recent days, as winter weather has grown colder in western Demoso, more children have started falling sick.