Mumps outbreak in Philadelphia, which started at Temple, appears to be spreading

A mumps outbreak at Temple University has grown and may have spread to a neighboring county, Philadelphia news outlets report. 

Reported cases at Temple were at seven on Monday, and rose to 16 on Tuesday, according to Philly.com, which reported the two cases in Montgomery County, northwest of Philadelphia, appear to be linked to Temple, citing health officials. 

There have been a number of mumps outbreaks on college campuses in recent years, according to the CDC. In 2015-16, outbreaks in Illinois and Iowa affected hundreds of students. The CDC attributes that to campuses being "close-contact settings" — with people attending class together, playing sports, living in dorms, and perhaps being more likely to exchange saliva than in other settings. 

Mumps cases have dropped 99 percent since vaccines began being used, according to the CDC. 

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