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| Some researchers believe there may be a cure for the zombie plague. |
Biologists have confirmed a virus known as K3WW is the cause of the zombie infection that has spread across the Utah State University campus this week.
“The virus at first has the same symptoms as the common cold and makes its host feel tired and run down,” said Kellie Erickson, USU College of Science senator and biology major. “If it goes untreated, within days, the virus takes over the body and the host becomes zombified.”
The zombie virus has spread quickly among the student population at USU and the number of infections has surpassed more than 100 victims.
“The attack was imminent,” said Daniel J. Young, a professor in the Department of Political Science who specializes comparative politics, development issues in Africa, and zombie attacks. “We have been holding it off for as long as we can with medicine, however, there are too many students getting infected.”
K3WW is a communicable virus that is passed via direct touch. Doctors have been able to design a vaccine which attacks the antibodies of the zombie virus and suffocates them.
“It is imperative to put an end to this disease to send any person with symptoms to the nearest hospital to get the vaccine,” Erickson said.
“I’ve already treated 20 zombies,” Young said. “It is a quick recovery once they get the vaccine."
But, he said, distribution has been a challenge.
"Unless we can find a more effective way to get the vaccine out, many of the zombies will die,” he said.
Young urged students to get vaccinated at the Student Health and Wellness Center, located at 850 E. 1200 North in Logan.
UnDeadline reporters Mina Sayer, Bennett Purser, Branson Smith, Elisabeth Gee, and Will Christensen contributed to this report.
