A mumps outbreak has spread to 15 confirmed and probable cases among San Diego State football players ahead of their Pac-12 opener against Texas State on Saturday. San Diego Public Health updated the situation Wednesday, more than doubling the initial report of five cases announced on September 18.
The Aztecs’ training and roster availability have been heavily affected. The latest Pac-12 injury and availability report lists nearly three dozen players as probable, questionable, or doubtful for the game against the Bobcats. Among those sidelined are running backs Javion Kinnard and Lucky Sutton, with Kinnard listed as doubtful due to a knee injury and Sutton out with an ankle issue. Backup quarterback Stone Saunders, tight ends Jackson Ford and Ryan Wolfer, and wide receivers Jacob Bostick, Donovan Brown, Bert Emanuel Jr., and Justius Lowe also appear on the report.
San Diego State’s Student Health Services medical director, Dr. T. Ghosh, issued an advisory on Wednesday, warning that mumps symptoms can emerge 12 to 25 days after exposure. This timeline explains the increase in cases as the virus has spread within the football team and may have exposed others in close contact. The advisory noted ongoing cooperation with San Diego County Public Health Services to conduct daily screenings, testing, contract tracing, and the administration of an additional MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine dose for close contacts and other students.
Mumps is known for causing swelling of the cheeks and jaw along with fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of appetite. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that, while rare, the virus can lead to complications such as infertility, brain inflammation, or hearing loss.
Coach Sean Lewis addressed questions about the outbreak during a press conference on Monday but declined to provide further details, citing federal privacy laws. “Due to FERPA and HIPAA, I’m not going to comment any further on that,” Lewis said, referring to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which protect student-athlete privacy.
The university has confirmed it cannot identify affected student-athletes because of these same privacy regulations. The initial cluster of cases was described by San Diego Public Health as occurring within “a single team” at the university, which the San Diego Union-Tribune has confirmed to be the football team.
The Aztecs enter the matchup with a 1-3 record, while Texas State holds a 2-2 record. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday at San Diego’s home stadium. The mumps outbreak remains an active concern for the team’s preparation and player availability as they approach the Pac-12 season opener.
According to Yahoo Sports.