Colleges in capital affected by outbreak of mumps

AN OUTBREAK of mumps has affected Blackrock and Trinity colleges in the capital, with students prompted to get vaccinated if they weren’t immunised with the MMR as children.

Blackrock College has cancelled a rugby match against St Michael’s College tomorrow after the mumps alarm was raised in the school yesterday.

A staff member confirmed the outbreak had been discovered during the day and all “precautions” were being taken, including cancelling the rugby match. It’s believed the outbreak was discovered in Blackrock’s boarding school.

A spokeswoman for St Michael’s College said they had been alerted the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter final was postponed after contact from the Leinster Rugby Schools Committee.

Trinity College has also been affected with a suspected mumps outbreak. In an email to staff and students, the director of the college health service, Dr David McGrath wrote: “There have been a number of cases of mumps in the Dublin area recently and we have had some cases of mumps here in college over the past week or so.

“I would encourage all of our college community to check they have had the two MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella) vaccines and to make an appointment for vaccination either at college health or with their own GP if they’re not protected.”