A year after a massive outbreak of mumps hit Douglas County, the disease is back.

Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department announced Monday that two probable cases have been diagnosed here – both in students at Kansas University.

“This may be it,” said Kim Ens, disease control program coordinator for the department. “There may be no more cases, and that would be great.”

But after 339 local cases were confirmed in 2006 as part of a nationwide epidemic, authorities are trying to get the word out about prevention.

Todd Cohen, a KU spokesman, said that even with spring break approaching – a prime opportunity for the virus to spread as students scatter across the nation – there’s not much more to be done.

“We encourage students to practice good habits, you know, the same things we all learned in kindergarten,” he said. “You don’t have to take any special steps to stop mumps. Wash your hands. Don’t cough in people’s faces. That’s about it.”

Symptoms include pain and swelling around the jaw. People who contract the virus are to be isolated from others for up to nine days.

The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is available at the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, 200 Maine, Suite B, and at Watkins Student Health Center.