There’s been a lot of discussion in the news lately about MERS-CoV. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus is an infectious disease with no known cure that has sickened at least 339 people in Saudi Arabia alone.
Is MERS the same as SARS?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MERS-CoV is not the same as SARS. MERS-CoV is most similar to coronaviruses that are found in bats. However, it should be noted that the CDC itself is also still learning about MERs-CoV.
Another hot topic in the health world is the worry that e-cigarettes are causing teenagers to become addicted to nicotine and that these teens are using e-cigarettes as a gateway.
E-cigarettes are battery-operated cigarettes that release doses of vapor which are inhaled. E-cigarettes were introduced to wean adult smokers off of regular cigarettes with the hope that they would eventually quit.
However, is this backfiring and causing more people to pick up a smoking habit?
In this edition of "Healthy Steps with Dr. Ginger," the good doc joins Andrea Donsky, RHN, and Lisa Davis, MPH, to discuss the latest news surrounding MERS-CoV and e-cigarettes.