Health officials have confirmed one case of mumps at the University of Kansas and are investigating nine other suspected cases since mid-December.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department announced the findings Wednesday. Mary Beverly, the department’s director of epidemiology, says it’s not clear where the cases were contracted but some likely spread before the university’s winter break on Dec. 16. The first day for spring classes is Jan. 17.

Beverly said some of the students who became ill lived in group housing but others did not. She declined to share more details.

The University of Missouri reported more than 220 mumps cases by mid-December.

Federal officials say the 258 cases of mumps nationwide as of early December is the largest outbreak since 2006.

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Information from: the Lawrence Journal-World