The number of mumps cases at the University of Wisconsin continued to rise Tuesday with the confirmation of another student contracting the highly contagious virus.
The UW woman is the fourth student — the third in as many days — to test positive for mumps, and University Health Services epidemiologist Craig Roberts said officials anticipate the number to only increase in the coming days and weeks.
With "two or three" students already in isolation awaiting test results after coming down with symptoms, and "two or three" students a day coming to UHS to get checked out, Roberts said he believes mumps cases at UW "will continue to rise."
"And they probably will through the end of finals," Roberts added. "When people leave, we won't see as much."
According to Roberts, the infection rate will likely decrease as people leave campus, since they are no longer in as "close physical contact" with others.
"The virus could also burn itself out," Roberts noted.
Overall, Roberts said UW has done "pretty well" in limiting the spread of mumps.
"There are 40,000 students here, and we've only seen four cases," Roberts said. "In the big picture, that's not a lot of people."
