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Penn State announces mumps outbreak during spring 2019, warns community


Another case of the mumps has been confirmed at Penn State. (WJAC)
Another case of the mumps has been confirmed at Penn State. (WJAC)
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Another case of the mumps has been confirmed at Penn State. This comes just a week after the university announced the first cases, during the spring semester.

The university says this latest case is now the third confirmed case of the mumps at University Park campus and the state's Department of Health considers this a mumps outbreak.

"We’re encouraging people that may have children or may not be immune to mumps to really be careful if they're coming to campus," infectious disease manager and campus health liaison Shelley Haffner said.

Haffner is giving a warning to those who might visit the University Park campus as it faces another mumps outbreak.

Health officials say mumps is a highly contagious disease that can be passed through saliva. Penn State also dealt with mumps outbreaks in spring 2017 and spring 2018.

The first two cases were confirmed last week. That led the university to put out a warning for folks before Blue-White Weekend activities begin, bringing big crowds.

The university says it has three more suspected cases.

"We want to stress the importance of understanding possible is: They could end up being something other than mumps," Haffner said.

In order to protect students, the university says one student has left campus and the others have been isolated, until further notice.

If any students have come in contact with those infected, the university advises them to get a third dose of the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine.

Students are required to be vaccinated. Those who don't have proof of the MMR vaccine may be excluded from campus.

"That means they cannot come to classes on campus, or live on campus," Haffner said.

Health center officials say they're working closely with the Department of Health to monitor the situation.

"As I said, we only have three confirmed cases at this point so we're just going to have to wait and see if more cases develop," Haffner said.

University officials say there is a concern when it comes to big crowds. Graduation is approaching but, if the number of cases doesn't increase, the situation will calm down.

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