SAN DIEGO — A letter from San Diego State University’s student health services medical director on Thursday confirmed a case of mumps involving a student. Though details about the student could not be shared due to privacy restrictions, Dr. Cynthia Cornelius indicated that the student affected lives off campus.
“While the health officials believe that the risk is minimal to our campus community, we are taking precautions and working to ensure that the campus community is both aware and has information about mumps,” Dr. Cornelius wrote in part.
Just last month, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency issued a health advisory to the local medical community to be on the lookout for mumps given the unusually high number of cases being reported in the region. The agency reported that 60 San Diego County residents had been reported with confirmed or probable mumps as of Nov. 27, the greatest number in over 25 years. In comparison, nine cases were reported in 2018 and 15 the year before that.
SDSU’s Dr. Cornelius provided the following information on the symptoms and spread of the mumps:
What is mumps and how is it spread?
Mumps is a contagious, viral illness that is primarily preventable through vaccination. The virus is spread through saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose and throat. A person carrying the virus can infect others through coughing, sneezing and the sharing of items, such as water bottles, utensils, and food.
What are the symptoms of mumps?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mumps symptoms typically start with fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite. Most people will experience swelling of their salivary glands within 48 hours. The swelling is what causes puffy cheeks and a tender, swollen jaw that is typically associated with mumps.Mumps will usually go away on its own and most people will recover completely within a few weeks. For more detailed information about mumps, including symptoms, complications and vaccinations, please visit the CDC site on mumps.
What should I do if I have symptoms?If you have exhibited any of the symptoms listed above, I urge you to self-isolate and see a medical provider as soon as possible. Also, anyone may call the County of San Diego Immunization Program by calling 866-358-2966 and pressing 5 at the prompt to speak with a public health nurse about mumps.
Students: Please contact Student Health Services at 619-594-4325, or contact your personal healthcare provider. Students may also call the Nurse Advice Line at 858-225-3105, which is available after 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, on weekends and also when the university is closed. The line will be available through the holiday closure.
