A suspected case of mumps has been reported at Calvin College near Grand Rapids.
As of Tuesday morning, the school was still waiting on lab results to confirm the case which was reported late last week.
In the meantime, the school is working with the Kent County Health Department to help mitigate potential exposure to the highly contagious illness.
Mumps is viral disease that is spread through mucus and saliva. It primarily affects the parotid glands on the sides of the face and can lead to painful swelling around the jaw.
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine prevents most cases of mumps. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases in the U.S. have dropped 99 percent since mumps vaccination programs began in 1967.
Calvin College says it has contacted unvaccinated students and offered them vaccinations.
If students choose not to get vaccinated, the college says they must either leave campus or quarantine themselves in a "non-public area" if the case is confirmed
If a student chooses to leave campus, an official with Kent County Health Department says it will alert their local county health department of potential exposure to mumps.
