San Diego State football hit with mumps outbreak before Pac-12 opener

4 weeks ago 20

The San Diego State Aztecs football team is dealing with a mumps outbreak days before its Pac-12 opener against Texas State.

San Diego County Public Health Services has confirmed 14 cases being limited to a single athletic team on campus. A report by the San Diego Union Tribune identified it as the Aztecs' football team. The University has yet to confirm any details, citing privacy laws.

A San Diego State athletics rep provided a statement to Sporting News, saying, "To protect student privacy and comply with applicable Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements, the university cannot provide additional information that could be used to identify the students. This includes confirming the athletic team in which the cases were confirmed."

Aztecs' coach Sean Lewis is trying to prepare his team for the road ahead.

"The football gods have not really favored us with the injury luck," Aztecs coach Sean 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."

Mumps is a viral illness which can cause other issues if not treated. It often leads to permanent deafness in one or both ears. Symptoms can last anywhere between 12 and 25 days, depending on the severity of the case.

San Diego State plays Texas State on Saturday night (10:30 p.m. ET, CW).