By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – McLean County Health Department officials have confirmed three cases of mumps on the Illinois State University campus.
The university is alerting the campus community to the outbreak which they say is isolated, though the viral infection is contagious.
“Once a virus like mumps is introduced into the community it’s not too surprising to see cases reappear periodically, especially in a closed community like a college campus where you have a population that participates in social activities and often lives in more densely populated living quarters,” said Melissa Graven, the department’s Communicable Disease Supervisor. “Our focus now is stopping the spread of the virus by encouraging students to be sure they have received two doses of MMR, stay home if they feel ill, and seek care from their healthcare provider if signs and symptoms persist.”
Craven said all three who contracted the illness have recovered. None of them required hospitalization.
The Health Department is issuing tips to avoid getting the mumps, including making sure you are up to date on the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, avoiding close contact with anyone who is sick, avoid sharing drinks, eating utensils, and cigarettes with others, wash your hands frequently and frequently clean touched surfaces.
The last mumps outbreak in McLean County was last summer.
According to the health department, anyone unsure of their vaccination status can make an appointment at the health department, or with their healthcare provider, to have a mumps titer test done to test for immunity to mumps. Individuals born before 1957 have presumed immunity to mumps but can have a mumps titer test done to be sure of their immunity status. To schedule an MMR vaccination or a titer test at the McLean County Health Department, call (309) 888-5435. The health department accepts private and public health insurance.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
