Mumps Case Confirmed on Northwestern’s Campus

A student on Northwestern University's Evanston campus has been diagnosed with a laboratory-confirmed case of mumps, according to the Northwestern University Health Service, the Daily Northwestern reported.

The university confirmed the case after Evanston Health Department received a report of a laboratory-confirmed case of mumps from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and due to the viral illness’ incubation period, IDPH believe secondary cases could surface as late as June 27, the newspaper reported.

The mumps virus causes fever, headaches and swollen salivary glands under the jaw and there could be serious complications when adults or teenagers, especially males, get mumps, according to the IDPH’s website.

Evanston city officials sent out a press release Tuesday with the news that a "Chicago-area student" had come down with the mumps.

The student attended classes and events during the infectious period and may have transmitted the disease to other people, according to the release. Health director Evonda Thomas asked local healthcare providers to be vigilant in identifying anyone who may have signs of the mumps.

"We request that all local healthcare providers and local  networks of physicians be on the lookout for anyone presenting with symptoms suggestive of mumps," Thomas-Smith said in the release. "If patients present with any of the symptoms, we are requesting immediate notification to the Evanston Health Department. Additionally, it is very important to obtain laboratory confirmation for cases and suspect cases of mumps."