Mumps epidemic among students at Nottingham University hit more than 220

Health officials confirmed an outbreak of mumps among students at two Nottingham universities.

It is already thought that more than 220 people have been infected with the virus, which can trigger deadly meningitis if it spreads to the brain.

Public Health England said that young people who were not vaccinated in childhood were the most "vulnerable" to the infection.

The University of Nottingham Trent and the University of Nottingham have had up to now 40 confirmed cases.

PHE East Midlands advises teens and young adults to protect themselves from the virus by getting the MMR vaccine.

Vanessa MacGregor, of the organization, said, "We have recently seen an increase in numbers, and teens and young adults who have not received two doses of MMR vaccine are particularly vulnerable.

"That's why we're working closely with Nottingham Trent University to educate students about mumps and explain why immunization is important.

"Early school leavers and other young adults who have not received MMR or who have received only one dose should make sure that they accept the offer." of MMR vaccination.

"However, it's not just about high-risk students, and we encourage everyone who has not received two doses of MMR vaccine to do so. MMR also confers immunity to measles and rubella ".

Mumps is a viral infection that spreads in the same way as colds and flu.

It often causes fever and swollen lymph nodes on the sides of the face and pbades without causing more serious symptoms.

But in some patients, this can trigger a more serious illness such as swelling of vital organs. There is no treatment and the treatment is to relieve the symptoms.

There were 2,285 mumps cases in England in the first 12 weeks of 2019 compared to 1,637 in the same period last year.

And the total number of mumps cases went from 7,723 in 2017 to 6,735 in 2018 last year.

A spokesman for Nottingham Trent University said, "Our GP surgeries have found a number of potential mumps cases.

"We have informed Public Health England and continue to support those affected.

"If students have symptoms of the disease, we encourage them to consult their general practitioner as they would normally do and to inform a relevant staff member of his or her career if it has an impact on their studies."

A spokesman for the University of Nottingham said, "Our colleagues at the Cripps Health Center on the University Park campus have alerted us to a number of suspected mumps cases and are working closely with Public Health England. to monitor the situation.

"We encourage students with symptoms of illness to visit their general practitioner as usual, and staff at our residences have been made aware and are ready to support students concerned with any health or safety concerns. studies.