Harvard University is in the midst of a mumps outbreak with 40 current cases reported. The Ivy League University first reported cases on March 1, with the number of infected people rising steadily ever since. The University’s Health Services Director Paul J. Barreira told the campus newspaper he was “more concerned now than at any other point during the outbreak.”
Mumps is a contagious and infectious viral disease causing swelling of the parotid salivary glands in the face and carries a risk of sterility in infected adult males. Prior to the development of a mumps vaccine, about 186,000 people in the United States were infected each year. Since the deployment of the vaccine in 1967 annual cases range from a few hundred to a few thousand. The persistence of mumps is due to the wide variety of strains that the basic vaccine does not protect against. Still, outbreaks are relatively rare.
The Harvard mumps outbreak continues a recent trend of small outbreaks centered on university and high school campuses in the United States.
The outbreak at Harvard is concerning but it’s not time to panic. Here’s some basic information you need to know about mumps and the outbreak.
The Harvard outbreak
Harvard initially confirmed two cases of mumps on March 1 of this year. The students were isolated at the Harvard Inn. Other residents were not informed because of privacy concerns for the infected. This raised serious concerns amongst student groups about the transparency of communication.
Since the initial cases, the number of infected has continued to rise. After students returned from Spring break, confirmed cases rose to 9.
During the outbreak, neighboring colleges, including Tufts University and Boston University, confirmed cases on their campus.
Notably, campuses across the country have also reported a small number of cases in areas as diverse as Ohio, Florida and Indiana. So while the Harvard outbreak may be a regional concern, mumps is occasionally present at campuses across the country.
The recent spike in cases to 40 is what has gained national attention. Harvard officials are now working on stricter isolation protocols and warning that end-of-year graduation ceremonies may be disrupted.
There have now been 40 confirmed cases of mumps at #Harvard. https://t.co/gPVJYsENGFpic.twitter.com/1agjus0GPf
— The Harvard Crimson (@thecrimson) April 26, 2016
Is mumps serious?
The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) says most patients recover after a few weeks, though there are rare instances of serious complications.
Does a mumps outbreak mean vaccines don’t work?
NO. Seriously, no. Vaccines work. Vaccines work on mumps (see earlier mention of the reduction of cases from 186,000 a year to only hundreds after the vaccine). Mumps vaccines can struggle to be effective against the multiple strains of the virus that are out there, but this is rare. Here is what the CDC has to say on the topic:
What should people do to prevent mumps from spreading?
Again, the CDC has fairly simple instructions on this front.
● Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and put your used tissue in the trash can. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.
● Washing your hands often with soap and water.
● Avoiding sharing drinks or eating utensils.
● Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, such as toys, doorknobs, tables, counters.
What does all of this mean?
The outbreak at Harvard is something to watch and be careful about (if you are near or on Harvard’s campus), but not something to panic over.
The University does require all incoming freshmen to get the full MMR vaccine that protects against mumps. While this has clearly not been enough to isolate the spread of the virus, it limits the potential risk.
The long term concern: The failure of university protocols in an outbreak
Mumps is highly unlikely to kill any of the students currently infected but a potential future outbreak of a more dangerous virus could be devastating. Harvard’s struggle to contain the mumps outbreak within a highly vaccinated community is a sign that current health protocols are not effective enough.
Harvard is one of the wealthiest universities in the world, with an endowment larger than some nation’s GDP. If this regulated and affluent community struggles with an outbreak then it’s hard to imagine other universities, communities or even nations being prepared enough.
All communities need to be prepared for viral outbreaks. This can be done by appropriately vaccinating children, teaching sound hygiene behaviors, providing sanitary environments and building health infrastructure to deal with any problems. A healthy world takes everyone’s commitment. And when everyone’s committed, it gets a lot easier to promote health.