By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

San Diego State University (SDSU) and the San Diego County health department are reporting a mumps outbreak among students at the school. To date, four confirmed and two probable cases have been reported.

Infographic aimed at college students depicting symptoms of mumps and steps they can take to protect themselves.

Given the number of individuals impacted, San Diego County Health and Human Services (HHS) has deemed this to be an outbreak situation, and both SDSU and HHS are working closely and collaboratively to manage the outbreak.

Each of the affected students live off campus at BLVD63,  a large, single apartment complex, which is managed by a private property management company at 6345 El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego.

“These six mumps cases represent a small outbreak of this highly contagious viral disease,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “The best way to prevent mumps is by getting the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR vaccine.”

HHSA will be conducting free vaccination clinics at BLVD63 from 3 to 6 p.m. on Feb. 27 and 28. The clinics will be held for BLVD63 residents and SDSU students who wish to be immunized and vaccines will be given on a first come, first served basis.

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Two doses of the vaccine are routinely recommended – one at 12 to 15 months of age and another at 4 to 6 years of age. It is recommended that all SDSU students complete the two-dose series if they have not already done so, and a third dose is being recommended to anyone who lives or works at BLVD63.

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The cases at BLVD63 come on the heels of an uptick in local cases in recent months. In addition to the cases at BLVD63, there have been four other cases in the county so far this year. In 2019, San Diego County recorded 66 mumps cases, compared to nine cases in 2018 and 15 the year before that. Last year’s increase marks a 25-year high in mumps cases in the county.