Curry College warns students of reported mumps case

MILTON, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Curry College notified students that a visitor to the school has come down with is believed to be the mumps virus.

In a letter to students, Curry officials said the visitor was at the school's Milton campus between Feb. 14 and 19. They say the school has been in contact with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health about the suspected case of mumps.

School officials note that all full-time undergraduate students have been immunized with the MMR vaccine.

Mumps is an infection of the salivary glands that is spread into the air when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or even speaks. Symptoms include fever, stiff neck, headache, loss of appetite, and swelling of the salivary glands. In severe cases, the virus can cause swelling of the heart or joints, as well as meningitis and encephalitis.

The reported case of mumps comes just days after public health officials announced two confirmed cases of measles in MetroWest residents. Both illnesses can be prevented with the MMR vaccine.

Cox Media Group