SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The number of Syracuse University students diagnosed with mumps has jumped from two to eight to now 14, officials said.

SU's Office of Health Services emailed students, staff and faculty Sept. 21 to say two SU students had been diagnosed with mumps. At the time, the university said it was working closely with the Onondaga County Health Department to monitor the situation, and expected students to make a full recovery within a few weeks.

Last week, the number of confirmed cases of the mumps reached eight, university officials said.

On Monday, university officials sent another email saying even more SU students have confirmed cases of the mumps.

"Since my last communication, several more mumps cases have been confirmed," Dr. Karen Nardella, of SU's Health Services wrote in an email Monday. "At this time, there are 14 confirmed cases. This is a serious matter and we need your help to prevent the further spread of mumps."

In the email, Nardella asks students, staff and faculty to review several frequently asked questions, including whether they can still get mumps if they have been vaccinated. The answer, she said, is yes.

"Although vaccination is your best protection, it's not 100 percent effective," she wrote. "In fact, every Syracuse student who has contracted mumps has been properly vaccinated."



Here is a list of tips Nardella shared to help prevent mumps from continuing to spread:

* Don't share drinks or eating utensils.

* Cover your mouth/nose when coughing or sneezing.

* Refrain from kissing and other intimate activity.

* Don't share cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

* Wash your hands often with soap and water.

* Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces like sinks, doorknobs and tables.

* At the first sign of symptoms, visit a doctor.

Symptoms of mumps include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, and swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears on one or both sides.

SU is advising anyone who isn't feeling well to visit a doctor immediately.

"The quicker you get treated, the less likely your fellow community members will get mumps," Nardella wrote.

"The incubation period is usually 16 to 18 days after exposure, but can be as long as 25 days," she wrote. "That means, during this period you should take extra precaution and most importantly, avoid exchanging body fluids with anyone."

SU asks anyone with questions or concerns to call the Health Services team from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesdays, 8:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, or 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays at 315-443-9005.

"Being informed is critical to containing this highly contagious disease," Nardella wrote.