Local doctors not worried about MERS making it to Mid-Missouri

Local health officials are not concerned with MERS, also known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, posing a significant threat in the United States.

Dr. Scott Schultz with Providence Urgent Care said, ” The CDC is putting warnings out to all of us to look out for. So we will have our feelers out there.”

He said since there have only been two cases in the United States this is not something the general public needs to be concerned about.

Shultz said there is no current treatment for MERS, but the cases so far have been treated on a symptom basis.

“The chances of you walking out and getting hit by a car, or a tornado coming through is a lot higher than this”, said Shultz.

The World Health Organization said the virus is contracted by exposure to camel milk or meat products.

Those who have MERS can go up to fourteen days without showing any symptoms.

One of the two people who contracted the virus in the U.S. did not need treatment of any kind to beat the virus.