SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)

SARS (SARS-CoV-1) was a respiratory illness that spread in many countries around the world in 2002 and 2003. For many people, SARS caused flu-like symptoms (like fever and headache). But it progressed to severe illness in about 1 to 2 out of every 10 people (10% to 20%) during the outbreak.

More than 8,000 people in 29 countries had SARS between 2002 and 2003. There was a small outbreak related to occupational exposure in 2004. Preventive measures stopped its spread, and only nine people were infected. There haven’t been any reported cases since then.

What are the symptoms of SARS?

Symptoms of SARS include:

• Persistent, high fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Body aches
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Diarrhea
• Sore throat

Some people only have a fever and other flu-like symptoms. Others develop a cough and shortness of breath two to seven days after their initial symptoms started.

SARS causes

A virus, SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1), causes SARS. Viruses are small pieces of genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protective coating. They use your cells’ machinery to make more copies of themselves, which makes you sick.

How does SARS spread?

SARS spreads through respiratory droplets, usually when someone with the virus coughs or sneezes. You can also get it by touching contaminated surfaces. Surfaces can become contaminated when someone with the virus coughs or sneezes on them or touches them without washing their hands.

What happens if you get SARS?

SARS no longer spreads. But during the 2002-2003 epidemic, some people had mild illness and others had severe complications, like:

• Pneumonia
• Low oxygen levels in their blood and tissues (hypoxia)
• Respiratory failure

People who were severely ill were put on mechanical ventilation if they couldn’t breathe on their own.

People with mild symptoms could treat themselves with pain relievers and fever reducers — much the same way you’d take care of yourself with a cold or the flu.

Can the SARS virus be cured?

No, there isn’t a cure for SARS. And like many viruses, there aren’t any specific antiviral medications that treat it.

Can SARS be prevented?

In general, you can reduce the risk of spreading viruses (like SARS) and other infectious diseases by:

• Washing your hands frequently
• Avoiding others when you’re sick
• Wearing a mask if you need to be around people when you’re sick or could be sick
• Covering your mouth and nose with your elbow when you cough or sneeze

How many people died from SARS?

At the end of the SARS epidemic in 2003, 916 people had died from the disease. One person died during a small outbreak in 2004.

Are COVID and SARS the same?

No, COVID-19 and SARS are different illnesses caused by different viruses. They’re both respiratory illnesses caused by coronaviruses, which is why the viruses have similar names (SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2). Coronaviruses can also cause mild respiratory illnesses, like common colds.

COVID-19 spreads more easily and has infected far more people than SARS did. COVID-19 also seems to spread more easily before symptoms start (in SARS, people were most contagious after symptoms started).

How did we stop the spread of SARS?

Public health measures helped contain SARS. Scientists collaborated to quickly identify and find ways to test for the virus. SARS is most contagious after symptoms start, so screening people with symptoms and isolating them at home was effective at containing the spread.