2 University Place students contract mumps | The News Tribune

Two University Place School District students have contracted the mumps, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announced Thursday.

The two children contracted the virus outside of school. Neither will be allowed to return to school until they are no longer contagious.

One attends Curtis High School and the other attends Curtis Junior High School, the health department said in a news release.

Any unvaccinated or undervaccinated students will be excluded from the schools starting March 20, the release states. Between the two schools, 65 students are affected by the exclusion.

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As soon as the excluded students are fully vaccinated against mumps, they can return to school.

A Tacoma Community College also contracted mumps, but did so away from school and the few people who were in contact with that student have been notified.

Mumps is a highly contagious viral illness spread through face-to-face contact by coughing, sneezing or spitting while talking. It also can be spread through shared eating implements.

Symptoms include puffy cheeks, swollen jaw, fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and loss of appetite. Males might suffer testicular swelling.

Newborns and those who have not been vaccinated are particularly susceptible to the infection.

There have been 58 mumps cases reported in Pierce County since the first probable mumps cases were identified Dec. 9. Many have been students, including four from Fife School District, four from Tacoma Public Schools and two from Puyallup School District.

In King County, the health department reports 213 probable cases of mumps, including 138 in Auburn, 20 in Kent and 19 in Federal Way. People who were vaccinated against mumps comprise two-thirds of those affected in King County.

A free mumps vaccination is available most weekdays at the South Hill Mall in Puyallup. Details can be found at the Health Department website, tpchd.org/immunizations.