Samoa's public health service within the Ministry of Health has stepped up preventative measures for protection from the viral disease mumps.
This follows an increase in the number of mumps cases from 5 to around 20 since April.
School children are currently the main group of people diagnosed with the mumps virus which causes swelling around the face.
Head nurses in district hospitals around the country have started visiting schools to provide students, teachers and parents with information to protect and prevent the spread of the disease.
The public health service says the worst cases of mumps can cause problems to reproduction ability late in life so it is important that patients are treated in time.
Mumps is spread by a virus similar to the flu and it can be spread by sharing eating utensils such as cups, spoons and plates.
