A mumps outbreak at Penn State University’s main campus in State College is up to 86 cases, according to the university’s website.
Cases of the highly infectious disease were first reported there shortly before THON, the massive annual dance marathon that raises money for children fighting cancer.
The university urged students and others to be extra cautious around THON and spring break to avoid spreading the disease.
Federal data shows that last year saw a marked rise in mumps cases nationwide, stemming largely from outbreaks on university campuses, with the two largest in Iowa and Illinois each involving several hundred students.
From January 1 to April 22 of this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, 42 states in the U.S. reported mumps infections in 2,570 people.