A case of mumps discovered in the Bay of Plenty has prompted a health reminder for the region.

Toi Te Ora – Public Health service have sent out a reminder after a Tauranga Intermediate School student was recently diagnosed with mumps.

Medical Officer of Health, Dr Neil de Wet says this latest discovery is not surprising.

'There's been an increase in mumps right across New Zealand.

'Since the beginning of September last year there has been about 450 cases of mumps, a majority of which have been in Auckland but in the Bay of Plenty we have had three cases.

'It's not surprising that we are now seeing cases locally, the main reason for this is that our immunization rate in the past has been quite low.”

The disease is a viral illness which can cause swelling of the saliva glands in the cheeks. Other symptoms can include fever and a headache.

'Quite often people with mumps will have swelling in the cheeks,” says Neil.

He says the disease is easily preventable, through vaccination.

'MMR, measles mumps and rubella vaccination, is one of the routine childhood immunizations,” he says.

'For people who have had those vaccinations, they are much less likely to get mumps.

'If you've had both doses of MMR you are approximately 90 per cent protected from the disease.”

He says that the disease has been in older school age children, in the 10 – 19-year old age group and in young adults in the 20 - 29-year old age group.

'Those two groups have had historically low rates of vaccination so the important message is that if you haven't had your MMR immunization or you're not sure, check with your family doctor.”

He says the vaccination is free to anyone who was born after January 1 1969 and hasn't yet had it.