An email from the Yale Health Director Tuesday morning alerted the university community of two suspected cases of mumps.
One of the cases involved an undergraduate living on campus and the other is a graduate student living off-campus.
“Well, I was glad to be aware of it and I think it’s appropriate to let people know and I trust the school is handling it,” Yale graduate student Catherine Rodriguez said.
Other outbreaks of mumps have occurred in the past year at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield and on the campus of Yale’s biggest rival, Harvard.
“You know my parents had always joked you’re going to go to college and meet some weird disease that you never encounter at home,” Yale freshman Joseph Lawrence said.
Mumps is best known for the symptoms of puffy cheeks and swollen jaw caused by inflammation to the salivary glands.
“On Facebook, the boy who was suspected of mumps actually came and said guys, I'm the one they’re talking about trust me, I’ve been vaccinated, no need to worry about it,” Lawrence told NBC Connecticut.
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Yale's Heath Director, Dr. Paul Genecin said in his email more than 90 percent of Yale undergrads have received the mumps vaccine, but it is still possible for students to contract the contagious respiratory disease when exposed to an infected person coughing or sneezing.
“I’m making sure to keep my hands clean especially during flu season,” Lawrence said.
In the email, Dr. Genecin said students with mumps who can’t go home will be cared for at the campus health center until they are no longer contagious. He asked faculty or staff with symptoms to contact their doctors and not come to work.
