Kent State and Portage County Health Services issued a statement Friday warning people on Kent State’s campus of a confirmed case of mumps.

Mumps, a viral disease spread by coughing or sneezing, includes symptoms like a fever, body aches, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite and swollen glands.

The statement focused on how to identify mumps and distinguish it from other diseases, how mumps is spread and how to prevent spread of the illness.

While mumps is not usually a serious viral illness, it can sometimes lead to more serious complications from improper treatment, according to the statement.

The usual recommended treatment involves getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids and taking medicine to alleviate pain or severity of the symptoms.

Shelly Verba, a registered nurse at Kent State University Health Services, said this is an important reason for why students need to get vaccinated.

“Most people here, I think it is 98 percent, have been compliant with the Kent State MMR vaccine requirement, so 98 percent of the people (here) are immune,” Verba said.

The statement said while not everyone is protected from developing mumps, individuals who do become infected after being vaccinated are less likely to develop any further complications after falling sick.

Verba said keeping the level of immunizations high in a community helps contain the spread of mumps.

University Health Services advises students concerned about their symptoms to locate their immunization records and submit them to UHS.

The statement advises students to “stay home from class, work and social events for five days after symptoms begin. Limit contact with babies and those with weakened immune systems.”