Mumps Outbreak Hits University of California Berkeley

Get your immunizations, students!

Fever, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue. For members of the University of California at Berkeley community, these symptoms could spell more than a common cold—they could mean a case of the mumps.

The university community is experiencing an outbreak of the viral infection after several cases of mumps were confirmed in students last Thursday, campus health officials said.

On Tuesday, UC Berkeley’s health services website posted an alert about the outbreak, encouraging all Cal students, faculty and staff—regardless of their vaccination history—to receive an additional dose of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, or MMR.

Most people receive two doses of MMR, with the first administered at 12 to 15 months of age and the second given any time at least four weeks after the first dose.

I had the mumps as an infant (in the 1050's) and passed it along to my father who developed it in his testicles (orchitis). He was NOT pleased and said it was very painful.

So, students get your MMR shots.