More than a dozen students in Loyola University, Maryland, have been affected with Mumps or are suspected of suffering from the virus.

Out of the affected students, 12 mumps cases have been confirmed by Baltimore's health department.

Mumps cases were first spotted in the campus around mid-February, and those infected are undergraduate students from both on and off Loyola's North Baltimore campus.

The virus causes painful inflammation and swelling of the saliva glands, aches and fever. It cannot be cured using antibiotics and normally resolves in one to three weeks.

Students were notified last week regarding mumps outbreak in the campus that has spread rapidly across the college.

Officials have advised them not to ignore any symptoms such as salivary gland swelling, low-grade fever, muscle aches and testicular or ovarian inflammation and tenderness.

"We received a few emails from the campus, telling us how, like what symptoms to look out for that there have been reported cases. It was really nice to receive the information, just to be aware of," Megan Lee, senior, told CBS local.

Apart from earning good grades and performing well in athletic programs at high school, the college requires students to get vaccinated for the disease in order to gain admission in the university.

The federal Centers for Disease Control, told abc2news that an outbreak of mumps is rare as most of them are vaccinated against the disease.

The mumps virus is highly contagious that spreads through the saliva or mucus of an infected person. Patients can avoid spreading the virus by taking plenty of rest and fluids.

Assistant Health Commissioner Patrick Chaulk told the newspaper that the mumps vaccine is about 90 percent effective and outbreaks most often occur at universities as students live in close quarters.

Chantal Celestin, junior, who is vaccinated against mumps, told the newspaper that students need to wash their hands constantly, avoid sharing drinks or utensils and clean their bathroom and kitchen surfaces, computer keyboards and phones thoroughly to avoid getting infected.