Since the beginning of the fall semester in August, the number of confirmed and probable mumps cases at the University of Missouri (MU) now stands at 193, according the MU Student Health Center today.

Image/TDH
Image/TDH

This is up from 128 cases one week ago.

Student Health reports as of today, at least 169 of these cases are considered recovered, meaning they are no longer infectious to others and have returned to class.

Most of the students are reporting associations with friends who have mumps, Greek organizations, or interactions in local bars. The median age is 20 years and cases are almost evenly split between males and females. All infected students met the immunization policy requirement of two Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccines.

The outbreak has prompted officials to recommend a 3rd Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccine, based on discussions with public health officials and consistent with guidance from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While the school is experiencing a large outbreak, last week MU spokesman Christian Basi said the school shouldn’t be singled out for having an excessive number of cases.

“This is something that has been a situation across the country. The CDC has reported that the country has more than twice the number of mumps cases so far this year as all of last year, and we still have a month to go.”

Nationally, the latest data shows that 4,258 mumps cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through Dec. 3.

LISTEN: Arkansas, mumps and the MMR vaccine: A discussion with Dr Dirk Haselow

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