Middle East respiratory syndrome, MERS, which originated in Jordan in 2012, has marched into South Korea, wreaking havoc in its wake. Though it has caused a relatively low number of deaths there—less than a dozen at last count—over 2,000 schools have been closed as a precaution. Are such measures warranted? What is the likelihood that MERS will make it to the U.S.? Who is most vulnerable to the virus? Sankar Swaminathan, M.D., chief of infectious disease at University of Utah Health Care, can address questions like these and explain how MERS compares to Ebola and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). To schedule an interview with Swaminathan, contact Julie Kiefer, University of Utah Health Care Office Public Affairs.
Phone: 801-597-4258 | Email: jkiefer@neuro.utah.edu