San Diego State mumps cases hit 14 in huge blow to Aztecs
San Diego State mumps cases have climbed to 14 confirmed, plus one probable case, with the outbreak centered on the Aztecs football team as it prepares for Saturday’s Pac-12 opener against Texas State. The university posted the updated count Wednesday, Sept. 30, according to SDSU Student Health Services.
The school first reported three confirmed and two probable cases Sept. 18. SDSU said the cases are tied to a single athletic team and one associated case, and ESPN and CBS Sports identified the team as football.
How SDSU is handling the San Diego State mumps outbreak
San Diego County Public Health Services is helping the university run screenings, trace contacts, test and give MMR booster shots to close contacts, CBS Sports reported.
The university’s medical director noted that “mumps symptoms can develop 12 to 25 days after exposure,” which helps explain why the count kept rising after the first cases, according to ESPN. SDSU says people with mumps remain contagious for five days after swelling begins.
Impact on team availability
Coach Sean Lewis would not say how the San Diego State mumps cases have affected specific players. “Due to FERPA and HIPAA, I’m not gonna comment any further on that,” he said, per CBS Sports.
The Aztecs listed 32 players on Wednesday night’s availability report: nine out, eight doubtful and four questionable, FootballScoop reported. All seven tight ends on the roster are on the report.
Not every absence is tied to the San Diego State mumps cases. Running back Lucky Sutton is out with a high ankle sprain, and guard Michael Leville Watkins is also out, ESPN reported. Backup running back Javion Kinnard is doubtful with a knee injury he suffered in last week’s game at Toledo.
Lewis addresses the mounting challenges
“The football gods have not really favored us with the injury luck,” Lewis told reporters Wednesday. “Guys have got to be ready to step into the light when the time comes. … We’ve been given a nice storm here. But this too shall pass, and we’ve got to be able to see our way through it.”
Even before the San Diego State mumps cases, the season was sliding. San Diego State (1-3) has lost three straight, scoring 10 points against UCLA, 13 against James Madison and 16 in a 41-16 loss at Toledo on Sept. 26, SportsGrid reported. That’s an average of 13 points per game during the skid.
“We had a good conversation this morning about how we have eight weeks left in the regular season,” Lewis said. “We knew going into it that we were only guaranteed 12. You want to maximize opportunity with the time that you do have to create more opportunity and more time as you move forward.”
What’s next
The San Diego State mumps situation adds another hurdle this week. San Diego State hosts Texas State at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. PT (10:30 p.m. ET) on The CW, according to the school. The Bobcats (3-1) arrive on a three-game winning streak. The Aztecs then visit Oregon State on Oct. 10.
For more on the new-look league, see our Utah State vs. Boise State preview and the rest of our college football coverage.
Reporting from ESPN, CBS Sports, FootballScoop and SportsGrid contributed to this story.