Harvard mumps outbreak grows; dozens infected

That’s the message Harvard University has for students after a mumps outbreak left 40 people sick over the past two months. The university first announced mumps cases in February, and infections have steadily increased despite efforts to isolate patients.

Paul J. Barreira, director of the Massachusetts university’s health services, told the student newspaper that the rise in cases is worrying.

“I’m actually more concerned now than I was during any time of the outbreak,” Barreira told The Harvard Crimson. “I’m desperate to get students to take seriously that they shouldn’t be infecting one another.”

Mumps is spreading so fast, it could affect the university’s May 26 commencement, he said.

“If there’s a spike this week, that means those students expose others, so now we’re looking at a potential serious interruption to commencement for students,” Barreira told the student newspaper. “Students will get infected and then go into isolation.”

Mumps is a viral infection that causes swelling in the salivary glands and cheeks, ear ache, jaw pain and general symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and headache.

The virus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets and contact with saliva or mucus.
Most mumps patients completely recover.

CNN

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