Seventy-three cases of mumps have been identified among MU students as of Monday, according to an email from the MU Student Health Center.

Many of the new instances are linked to Greek Life.

Initially, the Student Health Center confirmed in a Nov. 4 campus-wide email that eight students had contracted mumps. According to a report by CBS St. Louis, the last update before Thanksgiving break, this had escalated to 31 confirmed cases with 27 others showing symptoms by Nov. 17.

Student Health Center Director Susan Even also confirmed that all diagnosed students have had the required two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

Two doses of the vaccine are typically 88 percent effective at preventing mumps, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s [vaccination recommendations](http://www.cdc.gov/mumps/vaccination.html).

Director of Residential Life Frankie Minor said in an email that the first eight cases occurred among students living off campus.

However, some of the more recent cases live in residence halls, Even said. The actual number of students with mumps who live on campus has not been disclosed.

Mumps has been identified in students living in Brooks, Dogwood, Gateway, Johnston and North halls, according to a Nov. 16 internal Residential Life email obtained by The Maneater. According to the email, the students diagnosed with the disease have gone home and will be not be returning to campus until they have recovered.

Even said residence halls are working to make students aware of the situation by posting fliers about the disease and prevention strategies.

The virus is spread through saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose and throat. An infected person can spread the virus by coughing, sneezing, talking, sharing cups and utensils or touching objects with unwashed hands that are then touched by others.

Michael Cooperstock, medical director of MU Health Care’s Infection Control Department, said in a [news release](http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2016/1102-mu-confirms-four-cases-of-mumps/)
that swelling of the salivary glands under the jaw is the most common symptom of mumps.

“Other typical symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite,” Cooperstock said in the release. “Symptoms usually appear two to three weeks after infection and can last up to two weeks until complete recovery.”

The Student Health Center requests that after symptoms begin, students who have the disease stay at home for five days, the time period they are considered contagious.

Any new updates will be posted to the Student Health Center [website](http://studenthealth.missouri.edu/needtoknow/mumps.html).

If you have symptoms, call the Student Health Center at 573-882-7481 or contact your health care provider.

_Edited by Allyson Vasilopulos | avasilopulos@themaneater.com_