To:
From:
Regarding:
Date:
All Students, Faculty and Staff
Sheila Dorgan, Director of Student Health Services
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Ebola Virus
6/15/2015
Today I am writing you about MERS and Ebola, which continue to be serious public health issues. The
purpose of this note is to describe who is at risk for developing these diseases, their symptoms, and what
you should do to protect your health and the health of the UMass Dartmouth community.
MERS
MERS is a viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Most people who become
infected with the MERS virus become very ill with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath.
About 30% of infected people die. All cases identified so far have been linked to countries in the Arabian
Peninsula and very recently, to the Republic of Korea. This virus spreads from person to person by
respiratory droplets from an infected person. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for MERS.
If you plan on traveling to the United States from the Republic of Korea or any country of the Arabian
Peninsula, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Kuwait and Yemen and
have a history of being in a healthcare facility in which recent MERS cases have been identified (as a
patient, worker, or visitor), or have had close contact with a person suspected of having MERS and
develop fever, cough and shortness of breath, please stay in that country until cleared by a doctor to
travel. If you develop these symptoms within 14 days of arriving in the United States, contact Student
Health Services immediately and ask to speak with a Nurse Practitioner.
Ebola
Ebola hemorrhagic disease is a deadly disease. The disease is native to several African countries and is
caused by infection with one of the Ebola viruses. It is spread by direct contact with a sick person’s blood
or body fluids. It is also spread by contact with contaminated objects or infected animals. There are
currently cases reported in Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness, followed by
diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Skin rash, red eyes, and internal and external bleeding might also
be seen.
There is no vaccine for Ebola and no specific treatment. If you plan on traveling to the United States
from Western Africa, particularly from Guinea, or Sierra Leone and become ill with fever and any of the
other symptoms while in one of the affected countries, please remain there until you are cleared by a
doctor. If you develop these symptoms within 21 days of being in western Africa, or have had contact
with a person suspected of having Ebola, please contact Student Health Services immediately and ask to
speak with a Nurse Practitioner.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Sheila Dorgan, Director Student Health Services (508) 910-6527 sdorgan@umassd.edu