Two cases of mumps among Crouse Hospital staff members have been confirmed by lab tests, according to Dr. Cynthia Morrow, Onondaga County's health commissioner.
She said eight other suspected cases -- four involving Crouse employees and four involving people in the community not linked to the hospital -- are under investigation.
The Syracuse hospital took steps to limit exposure to mumps in its neonatal intensive care unit three weeks ago after three staff members came down with symptoms of the viral disease. It takes three to four weeks to get test results. "Mumps is very difficult to diagnose," Morrow said.
A Crouse doctor was exposed to mumps while traveling in Ethiopia earlier this summer.
No infants have come down with symptoms, Morrow said.
"Mumps is a relatively mild disease," she said. "It requires close monitoring, but it doesn't raise huge concerns from a public health standpoint."
Mumps is rare because most people are vaccinated against it. It is usually transmitted by droplets or direct contact with respiratory secretions or saliva. People who have mumps may experience fever, headaches, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite followed by swollen salivary glands.