50 Confirmed Mumps Cases in Harvard Community May 6, 2016 Fifty mumps cases have been confirmed in the Harvard community between Feb. 29 and May 5, 2016. The Harvard community includes current students, faculty, and staff. Almost all of the infected individuals were fully immunized against the mumps prior to contracting the disease.



A measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine prevents most—but not all—cases of mumps. However, vaccinated individuals who contract mumps tend to have less severe symptoms and are less capable of spreading the virus to others. Even in a highly vaccinated population it is possible that some people will get the illness. At Harvard, 99% of undergraduate students and 98% of graduate students meet all state immunization requirements and have received two doses of the vaccine.



The Cambridge Public Health Department, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and Harvard University Health Services have been working collaboratively since February to facilitate diagnosis and laboratory testing, dissemination of public health messaging, and contact tracing investigation. Local health department staff continue to reach out to anyone with suspect or confirmed cases of mumps and their close contacts to educate them about the illness and preventing the virus from spreading.



Mumps is spread through saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose, or throat. An infected person can spread the virus by: Coughing, sneezing, kissing, or talking.

Sharing items, such as cups or eating utensils, with others.

Touching objects or surfaces with unwashed hands that are then touched by others. The infectious period of mumps is two days before to five days after the onset of salivary gland swelling. Other common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.

Mumps outbreaks can easily occur on college campuses because students are frequently in close proximity to one another—living in dorms, playing on sports teams, socializing at parties, and sharing food, utensils, and other items.



Local health officials and Harvard University Health Services continue to advise students who experience mumps symptoms to self-isolate until the end of the infectious period to avoid spreading the virus to others.



Harvard University has been working closely with members of its community who have presumptive or confirmed mumps to help make arrangements and provide any necessary accommodations. In addition, Harvard University Health Services, in close collaboration with other groups throughout the university, has sent numerous communications to students, faculty and staff about mumps symptoms and best practices for prevention.



To date, there are no confirmed mumps cases among Cambridge residents who are not members of the Harvard community.



"Cambridge residents who do not have contact with the Harvard community are not at increased risk of contracting the mumps virus," said Claude-Alix Jacob, the city’s Chief Public Health Officer and director of the Cambridge Public Health Department.



Residents who are concerned about mumps can reduce their risk of becoming ill by:

Getting vaccinated against the mumps: People who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine are about nine times less likely to get mumps than unvaccinated people who have the same exposure to mumps virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If a vaccinated person does get mumps, they will likely have less severe illness than an unvaccinated person. Most children and young adults have received at least 1 dose of the MMR vaccine. Two doses of MMR vaccine are more effective than 1 dose.

Always covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.

Washing hands frequently.

Disposing of used tissues and other similar objects appropriately.

Avoiding sharing glasses, eating utensils, water bottles, cigarettes, and makeup. The Cambridge response continues to focus on preventing further spread of the virus. The pattern of transmission is similar to what has been observed on other college campuses across the county.



In addition to the Harvard cluster, smaller mumps outbreaks have been occurring on other Boston-area college campuses, and have occurred on other campuses around the country over the past several years.



State health officials have confirmed nearly 80 cases of mumps among Massachusetts residents between Jan. 1 and May 5.



To learn more about the mumps, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mumps website: http://www.cdc.gov/mumps/index.html.



If you are a Cambridge resident and believe you have been exposed to mumps and have any symptoms, please refrain from public activities and contact your health care provider or the Cambridge Public Health Department, 617-665-3800.

MEDIA CONTACT Suzy Feinberg, MPH

Public Information Officer

617-665-3833

sfeinberg@challiance.org NEWS RELEASES Show releases from: 2020 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

