Mumps Outbreak Nearly Doubles At SUNY New Paltz
The number of cases of mumps at SUNY New Paltz has nearly doubled in the past two weeks.
According to the New York State Department of Health there have been 63 confirmed or probable cases of mumps at SUNY New Paltz since Oct.
Two weeks ago, the SUNY New Paltz Student Health Service confirmed 36 cases of mumps, including one staff member and several students.
In their most recent update, SUNY New Paltz Student Health Service confirmed 56 cases. The number is lower than the state health department because some students are being diagnosed by their personal physician or another health care provider, officials say.
Several members of the college swim team and one athletics staff member have been inflicted, the colleges says.
The number of cases continues to rise. Three weeks ago the college confirmed 29 cases. The week before, the college confirmed 23 cases of the mumps, the week prior it was 15, the week before 13.
All full-time SUNY New Paltz students are required to get immunizations for the measles, rubella and the mumps, or show documentation for a religious or other exemption. However, students enrolled in six credits are less aren’t required to show immunization records.
According to the state health department, there have been 147 confirmed cases of mumps across the state this year, up from 24 in 2015.