Posted on January 28, 2016 at 1:16 am

University Health Services notified students Wednesday afternoon that a student has been diagnosed with mumps.

Mumps is a highly contagious disease. Symptoms usually include fevers, body aches, loss of appetite, fatigue, headaches and swelling in a person’s salivary glands.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mumps outbreaks are rare, but in May 2015, the University alerted students to three different cases of mumps.

This year, UHS has created a webpage where they track the number of mumps cases on campus by week and include any announcements they send to students.

The page also includes tips for preventing the spread of the disease and tips on what to do if students think they have come in contact with the disease.

In an attempt to prevent further spread of the disease, UHS is asking students to call their hotline ahead of time or schedule an appointment before coming in to be seen. Additionally, for students who have never been vaccinated for mumps, UHS can vaccinate students, which could help students avoid contracting the disease if they are around others who have it.