Marquette students react to word of mumps diagnosis of fellow student
MILWAUKEE - It's a rare and contagious virus. A marquette student diagnosed with "mumps".
Students were alerted by email Friday night. The university calls the case isolated.
The rare virus left students stumped, many unaware of just what it was.
"I didn't really know much about it period and i didn't really know anyone who had it so getting the email was like 'Oh, what's this? What's going on?" said senior Claire Joyce.
Dr. Wyatt Jaffe with Columbia St. Mary's says the virus is very contagious, if in close quarters with the infected person.
"It's spread through saliva so coughing, sneezing sharing glasses, kissing -- those sorts of contact will spread the virus easily."
Most people in the U.S are vaccinated against the virus at a young age.
The student infected doesn't live on campus.
But they did spend time here on September 4.
Students who visited the Union Sports Anex during an 8 hour period that afternoon could have been exposed.
Sarah Hastreiter's among them.
Keller : "What went through your mind when you heard they had been here, and you were here?"
Sarah: "Well, I started to freak out a little bit but then I remembered I got my shots so I was all good."
Sarah feels better knowing for now, only one student has been diagnosed.
"I mean if I start feeling symptoms obviously I'll freak out but until then I'm all O.K."
Dr. Jaffe said it's fairly unlikely others were infected but it all depends on just how close of contact the infected student got to others.
Muscle-aches, headache and swollen salivary glands combined are symptoms of Mumps.
Anyone thought to have been exposed and feeling those symptoms should contact their doctor.
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