SARS

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Definition

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) — a contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness — first appeared in China in November 2002. Within six weeks, SARS had spread worldwide, carried around the globe by unsuspecting travelers. Eventually, 8,000 people were infected and 800 died of the disease.

The rapid and unexpected spread of SARS alarmed both health officials and the public. SARS — the first newly emerged, serious and contagious illness of the 21st century — illustrated just how quickly infection can spread in a highly mobile and interconnected world. On the other hand, concerted international cooperation allowed health experts to contain SARS just months after its emergence. What's more, scientists now believe that some cases originally diagnosed as SARS may actually have been avian influenza (bird flu), potentially a far more deadly disease.

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Symptoms