CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — A student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a confirmed case of the mumps, according to the school.
- UNC-Chapel Hill confirms mumps case involving a student
- Student is believed to have been infectious between January 11 and 18
- Anyone who had direct contact with the student during that time could begin seeing symptoms between January 23 and February 12, if infected
On Wednesday, UNC-Chapel Hill's Facebook page posted an alert about the confirmation. Officials say the student may have been infectious between January 11 and January 18, and the general populations' risk of contracting mumps from the student is low.
The school says anyone who may have come in direct contact with the student between those dates however, may be at risk for contracting mumps and could begin seeing symptoms between January 23 and February 12.
Individuals already identified as having direct contact with the contagious student have been contacted directly, officials say.
According to the Center for Disease Control’s website, mumps can cause puffy cheeks and a tender, swollen jaw due to swollen salivary glands under the ears on one or both sides, often referred to as parotitis.
Other symptoms that might begin a few days before parotitis include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.
The CDC says symptoms typically appear 16-18 days after infection, but this period can range from 12–25 days after infection. Most people with mumps will completely recover within two weeks.
For additional information, you can visit the CDC’s website by clicking here.