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Harvard Confirms 40 Cases Of Mumps In Last 2 Months

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A mumps outbreak at Harvard University has affected 40 members of the school community in the last two months.

Boston.com reports that nearly a dozen students were in isolation as of Monday evening.

Harvard first announced in March there were two confirmed cases of mumps at the school. The number has continued to rise despite investigations into the infection's cause and efforts to isolate affected students.

The public health department in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Harvard is located, determined a month ago that all infected students to that point had received a mumps vaccine prior to contracting the infection. A department spokeswoman says she hasn't heard of any confirmed cases in the city unrelated to the Harvard community.

Mumps is a viral infection that causes swelling in the salivary glands and cheeks.

The most common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC states it's a contagious disease that can be spread through saliva or mucus. An infected person can spread the virus through coughing, sneezing, talking, sharing items, or touching objects and surfaces with unwashed hands.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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