Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Frequently Asked Questions
There was a global outbreak of SARS in 2003. However, there have been no cases of SARS reported since 2004.
This article will cover the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of SARS. It will explain how SARS is different from COVID-19, and highlight that there have been no cases of SARS in 2004.
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SARS Symptoms
SARS symptoms usually appear two to seven days after a person is exposed to the virus that causes SARS. The first symptom that most people experience is a highfever. They might also experiencechillsand rigors (periods of intense shivering). After the fever, many people experienceheadachesandmuscle aches. They generally feel tired and unwell.
About three to seven days after the fever sets in, respiratory symptoms begin. Most often, this starts with adry coughthat is unproductive, meaning it doesn’t bring up mucus. Many people experience shortness of breath, which can lead tolow oxygen levels. In addition, people with SARS can experiencelow platelet counts.
SARS is diagnosed through testing that looks for the SAR-CoV virus. This can be done using nasal, throat, or rectal swabs.
No SARS cases have been diagnosed anywhere in the world since 2004.
SARS must be treated in a hospital. The patient should be put in isolation, to reduce the risk of passing the infection to anyone else.
In the hospital, people with SARS can be treated with:
Up to 20% of people with SARS will need the support of aventilator.Although you are unlikely to contract SARS since cases have not been recorded since 2004, you should seek medical attention if you experience its symptoms, such as trouble breathing.
During the 2003 SARS outbreak, 8,098 people became infected with SARS around the globe. Of these, 774 died. Only eight confirmed SARS diagnoses have been made in the United States.
Summary
A Word From Verywell
It’s extremely unlikely that you or a loved one has SARS. No cases of SARS have been diagnosed globally since 2004. The virus that causes SARS, SARS-CoV, and the virus that causes COVID-19, SAR-CoV-2, are both coronaviruses, but they are different illnesses with different diagnoses and treatment protocols. Anytime you are concerned about respiratory illness, contact your healthcare provider for advice.
SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19. It is a type of coronavirus that is spread through respiratory droplets. The SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected in 2019.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is coronavirus?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics of COVID-19.National Health Service.SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).Chan, Paul K. S., Wing-Kin To, King-Cheung Ng, Rebecca K. Y. Lam, Tak-Keung Ng, Rickjason C. W. Chan, Alan Wu, et al.Laboratory diagnosis of SARS.Emerging Infectious Diseases10, no. 5 (May 2004): 825–31. doi: 10.3201/eid1005.030682.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is coronavirus?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics of COVID-19.National Health Service.SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).Chan, Paul K. S., Wing-Kin To, King-Cheung Ng, Rebecca K. Y. Lam, Tak-Keung Ng, Rickjason C. W. Chan, Alan Wu, et al.Laboratory diagnosis of SARS.Emerging Infectious Diseases10, no. 5 (May 2004): 825–31. doi: 10.3201/eid1005.030682.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
World Health Organization.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is coronavirus?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics of COVID-19.National Health Service.SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).Chan, Paul K. S., Wing-Kin To, King-Cheung Ng, Rebecca K. Y. Lam, Tak-Keung Ng, Rickjason C. W. Chan, Alan Wu, et al.Laboratory diagnosis of SARS.Emerging Infectious Diseases10, no. 5 (May 2004): 825–31. doi: 10.3201/eid1005.030682.
World Health Organization.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is coronavirus?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics of COVID-19.
National Health Service.SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).
Chan, Paul K. S., Wing-Kin To, King-Cheung Ng, Rebecca K. Y. Lam, Tak-Keung Ng, Rickjason C. W. Chan, Alan Wu, et al.Laboratory diagnosis of SARS.Emerging Infectious Diseases10, no. 5 (May 2004): 825–31. doi: 10.3201/eid1005.030682.
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