More verified mumps cases reported at Temple University

Temple University said Monday that three more mumps cases among students has been verified, making a total of seven students testing positive recently for the highly infectious disease.

On Thursday, the university announced that four students had tested positive for mumps and issued a warning to 40,000 students and several thousand faculty on the eve of spring break. In addition to the seven verified cases, four more students have shown symptoms of mumps.

Mumps is a contagious viral disease. Common symptoms include swollen salivary glands, fever, headache, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. While serious complications are rare, especially in people who were vaccinated as children, mumps can cause inflammation of the brain, deafness, or sterility. Similarly to the flu, there is no treatment. But for most people, symptoms fade after 10 days.

The mumps vaccine is available on campus for students who have been in close contact with someone who has experienced symptoms.

As a matter of policy, Temple recommends, but does not require, immunizations for admitted and enrolled students.