A student at Dartmouth was confirmed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services on Monday evening to have a case of mumps. The student is receiving medical care and is in isolation on campus. College health providers are working with state health officials on the case.
State health workers have interviewed the student to learn about the student’s contacts and Dartmouth staff will work with the state to manage and test students with symptoms of the disease.
Dartmouth students, faculty, and staff were notified of the mumps case by email this morning and are advised to seek medical treatment should they have concerns about their health. Students who feel ill should contact the Dartmouth College Health Service. Faculty and staff on campus should contact their primary care providers for guidance.
“We are writing to you today to provide you with the information you will need to be an active part of the response to prevent the spread of mumps on campus,” wrote Dr. Ann Bracken, director of clinical medical services at the College health service, in the email. Bracken is also an assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine.
The infected student is recuperating and is being treated in accordance with the appropriate medical protocols. There are no other confirmed cases of mumps and no other students have been tested for mumps.
Dartmouth is closed today for the July 4 holiday and will reopen tomorrow, July 5. No campus classes, events, or activities have been cancelled.
Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It typically begins with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, followed by swollen salivary glands. The infected student sought medical care for these symptoms and has been in isolation since Friday. The College received confirmation of the mumps diagnosis yesterday.
Dartmouth students are required to have the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in order to register for classes, with the exception of students who are exempted under specific circumstances.
Staff working at Dick’s House, the College health center, are required to have MMR vaccinations. Other faculty and staff are not required to have the vaccinations.
Information about mumps may be found on the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services website, and on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
