Fourth Confirmed Case Of Mumps In Watauga County

BOONE, NC — Officials say another case of the mumps has been confirmed in Watauga County.

Four cases have now been confirmed in that area since April. Three of the four confirmed cases are all Appalachian State University students, with the fourth case being a student at the Caldwell Community College campus in Boone.

Officials say the latest person to be diagnosed is a student at App State.

Mumps is a contagious virus that can lead to swelling and pain in the salivary glands, and most commonly affects children ages five to 14. Officials say the infection rate among young adults however, has increased over the last two decades.