DeKalb County is dealing with six cases connected to the mumps epidemic sweeping the Midwest, county health officials said.

One was deemed a probable case because the infected person showed symptoms of the disease, but the blood and culture tests did not confirm anything, said Karen Grush, administrator of the DeKalb County Health Department.

The individuals of four cases are under investigation, Grush said.

“They are being kept at home,” Grush said.

DeKalb County residents have no need to worry, she said. The number of cases in Illinois is still low compared to neighboring Iowa, and people with symptoms have been quarantined.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state has 81 cases of the mumps as of Tuesday.

As of Friday, 35 of 72 cases were confirmed, Grush said.

Iowa had 815 cases of the mumps as of Monday, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Most people are immunized and even though the vaccination is only effective with 95 percent of those immunized, leaving 5 percent at risk, contracting the mumps should not be a major concern, Grush said.

“People don’t typically die from mumps. It’s not a serious illness,” she said.

What makes health officials worry is the 5 percent not protected from the mumps through the vaccination can suffer severe effects, she said.

Some may suffer from meningitis, hearing loss and sterilization.

People should protect themselves through immunization and by not exchanging saliva by using the same eating utensils with those who may be infected, Grush said. People also should wash their hands several times a day.

Symptoms of the mumps include fever, headache and muscle ache.

“You feel like you may have the flu,” Grush said.

The mumps are infectious three days before symptoms begin and nine to 10 days after the onset of the gland swelling, Grush said.