SARS had a case fatality rate of 10% and MERS had a case fatality rate of 20%.
"SARS, which was at 10%, and MERS, which is it was at 20%." (said at 0:43:58)
The claim bundles two epidemiological figures. The assertion regarding Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is accurate: the global case fatality rate (CFR) for SARS was approximately 9.5% to 10%. However, the assertion regarding Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is contradicted by established surveillance data: the global CFR for MERS is substantially higher, documented at approximately 34% to 36% (roughly one in three confirmed cases), rather than 20%. Following the rule of grading bundled assertions by their least accurate component, the overall claim is contradicted.
- contradicts: SARS, MERS and CoVID-19: An overview and comparison of clinical, laboratory and radiologic… (Journal of family medicine and primary care 2022)
"The Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) cases were reported to have a very high case fatality rate of 9.5 and 34.4% respectively." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: A Narrative Review on the Recent Insights Into the Pathogenicity and Potential Role of Mid… (Health science reports 2025)
"Since it was identified in 2012, MERS-CoV has spread across 27 countries, presenting a high case fatality rate (~34.5%) and zoonotic origin." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)