There’s been an outbreak of mumps at Exeter

There has been a recent increase in cases of mumps reported at the student health care centre according to the University.

The incredibly contagious infection causes the painful swelling of the glands around the face and neck and can cause what healthcare officials like to call "hamster face" when the face and neck becomes so swollen that it resembles, you guessed it, a hamster.

However, a couple of days before you develop "hamster face" you may have other symptoms which include headaches, joint pain and a high temperature. You can be contagious a couple of days before the symptoms appear and for a few days afterwards.

The uni's health page states that "it's important to prevent the infection spreading to others, particularly teenagers and young adults who haven't been vaccinated".

Which can be helped by washing your hands more regularly, using tissues when you sneeze, and by "staying away from lectures and social gatherings for five days"- as if you weren't missing your lectures already.

Mumps is spread the same way as colds and flu, so infected saliva is inhaled or picked up from surfaces and transferred into the mouth and nose.

Maybe think twice about getting with that rugby boy in TP tonight?