By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
In an update on the mumps outbreak at the College of Charleston, local media report seven additional outbreak cases, bringing the total to 18 since September.
Officials say while most of these cases are not infectious, the college is expecting to see secondary cases of the virus at least until mid-November.
In addition, school officials said that it will not be altering class or operating schedules because of the new cases.
Mumps is a contagious viral illness that occurs worldwide. The virus is spread by contact with saliva or respiratory tract droplets of a sick person.
Symptoms typically begin 14-18 days after exposure to the virus. Many people feel tired and achy, have a fever, and swollen salivary glands on the side of the face, usually below and in front of the ear.
Others may feel extremely ill and be unable to eat because of jaw pain, and a few will develop serious complications. However, about one-third of those infected do not experience this symptom.
The mumps vaccine is a part of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination.Two doses of MMR are recommended: The first dose is about 78% effective against mumps; two-dose vaccine effectiveness is 88%.
MMR vaccine prevents most, but not all, cases of mumps and complications caused by the disease. 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.
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