The chief medical officer for the region of Ulster in Northern Ireland reported this week that the province could be in for a mumps epidemic, a dangerous development because mumps can often lead to meningitis. "People think measles is the only serious disease within [the triad of diseases prevented by MMR], but mumps, and in particular the meningitis side effects of mumps, is very serious and significant," said Dr. Henrietta Campbell in an interview. She made the comments as it was revealed that MMR vaccine coverage was at about 88 percent of all children in the area, a slightly improved figure than in recent quarters but still well below the target level of 95 percent.