University of Missouri works to educate campus community about mumps

University of Missouri students will move in and start school in the next two weeks.

With nine confirmed mumps cases on campus, ABC 17 News asked the University what it’s doing to notify students and staff and what steps it’s taking to make sure the virus doesn’t spread.

“This is the first time that I can recall that we’ve had a situation with the mumps in particular,” said spokesman for the University of Missouri Christian Basi. “In the past, the biggest disease issue we’ve had that I can recall is the flu and in that case it was hundreds of individuals.”

The Boone County Health Department said there are nine confirmed mumps cases and all nine are MU students.

With classes starting soon, Basi said the school is taking steps to prevent the spread of the contagious virus on campus.

“We’ve been working with those leaders and those individuals who have the most contact with incoming students and making sure they have the same messages about what our policy requirements are, again, prevention and identification of those symptoms,” Basi said.

MU requires all students to have the MMR vaccine to attend the University.

“We are following the CDC guidelines, we’re also in touch with local and state authorities as we have received confirmation,” Basi said.

According to the CDC, symptoms of the mumps include: fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears on one or both sides.