Public Health officials are reporting an outbreak of mumps, a contagious viral disease, on the University of Idaho campus.
As of Wednesday, 10 laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease have been confirmed, with 20 additional reports being investigated. The outbreak has prompted health officials to urge students to check their vaccination records, KTVB News reported.
Mumps is a contagious, viral disease that leads to painful swelling of the salivary glands. It can cause fever. Headaches, muscle aches, fatigue and loss of appetite. Typically mumps patients are contagious for two days prior to the outbreak of symptoms and five days after.
"Mumps is pretty contagious and it can spread very easily especially in a university type setting," Tom Shanahan, Public Information Officer for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, is quoted as saying by KTVB.
The 10 confirmed cases are either students or people associated with the University of Idaho in Moscow, according to health officials.
And with students on break for the Thanksgiving holiday, there is concern that the disease could continue to spread.
"The students could be coming home and bringing it back to their families," Shanahan added.
The contagious disease is spread from person to person through contact with respiratory secretions, such as saliva and sneeze droplets from an infected person.
Vaccination against the mumps does not offer 100 percent protection, however it is still strongly recommended.
There is currently no specific treatment for the viral disease. Those infected typically just have to let the virus run its course, but rare complications include meningitis and deafness.
