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MERS Virus Outbreak Discussed at Mid-State Conference

cdc.gov

  MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  Health professionals from across the nation are in Middle Tennessee for an annual epidemiology conference and the deadly MERS virus is on the agenda.

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists is meeting this week at the Nashville Convention Center. Following word in May of the first U.S. case of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS, Indiana State Epidemiologist Pam Pontones was asked to speak about her team’s successful effort to contain the virus.

Pontones says one man, just returned from Saudi Arabia, tested positive for the illness. However, dozens of people who came in contact with the man had to be tracked down and also tested for MERS. No additional cases were found.

Pontones says one of the keys to her team’s success was keeping the public well informed.

“Being able to provide good information to the public on how they could protect themselves, what to look for, and to reassure them and give them good things that they could do to protect themselves and their families.”

Pontones says she was pleasantly surprised by how well the various state and federal agencies coordinated their efforts to contain the MERS outbreak.