Corona is a viral respiratory disease caused by the 2022-nCoV virus. SARS is a viral infection with respiratory symptoms caused by the SARS-CoV virus. The coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China has killed nearly three times as many people in eight weeks as acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in eight months.
More than 2,100 people have died from the Wuhan coronavirus, and at least 75,500 have been infected in 27 countries. The new disease, called COVID-19, is characterized by fever and pneumonia-like symptoms. This conjures a sense of déja vu for some who remember the SARS outbreak that began in November 2002. SARS is also a coronavirus, and it jumped to people from animals in wet markets, which the new coronavirus probably did as well.
It took eight months for SARS to infect more than 8,000 people. Meanwhile, Corona (COVID-19) has infected more than 75,000 people in about eight weeks.
Most experts think that the incubation period of the new coronavirus ranges from one to 14 days, although a recent study from China’s National Health Commission suggested that it may be as long as 24 days. For comparison, the average incubation period for SARS was seven days.
What is Corona Virus?
Coronavirus is the name used for a new type of viral infection first recognized in Wuhan, China in 2022, which has been designated the 2022-nCoV virus. It’s like SARS, a type of betacoronavirus.
The main symptoms are cough, fever, shortness of breath and in most cases the development of pneumonia. The disease causes severe symptoms and is a leading cause of death with a mortality rate of around 2 percent so far. Individuals with chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes have the greatest risk for complications and death, as do the elderly.
Diagnosis of the disease is made through a physical examination and noting symptoms that can appear from 2 days to 2 weeks after exposure to the virus. In addition, blood samples sent to the CDC for molecular testing allow for confirmation of the presence of the virus and confirmation of the diagnosis of 2022-nCoV.
Coronavirus is spread from one person to another possibly through breathing when a person coughs or sneezes and possibly by aerosolized fecal particles. So far, it is not known whether people can catch the virus by touching infected surfaces. The host animal for this particular virus has yet to be identified by scientists but most cases have largely focused around the animal and seafood market in China.
The people most at risk of catching this virus are those who live in or have visited Wuhan where the disease was first detected and many people have caught it. As of January 30, 2022, there were more than 9000 cases in China alone and WHO has declared a global emergency. Other people at risk are those who have direct direct contact with people who are already sick with the disease, including health care professionals.
What is SARS?
SARS is a severe acute respiratory syndrome, an illness caused by a type of virus known as SARS-CoV, which was first recognized in November 2002 in the southern region of China.
Symptoms of SARS include dry cough, muscle aches, chills, difficulty breathing, fever of 100.5 F (38 C), headache and sometimes diarrhea. Complications include pneumonia, heart and liver problems, and death in some cases.
SARS can be provisionally diagnosed based on its symptoms but confirmed by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription PCR assay
SARS is transmitted between people through respiratory secretions. So people who sneeze and cough release droplets containing virus particles. The animal host from which the virus originated is believed by scientists to be bats of the genus Rhinolophus which then spread the virus to cats, civets where humans become infected.
People who care for patients with SARS, as well as people who have direct contact, are at a high risk of contracting the disease. However, the virus has not been detected since around 2004.
Most SARS treatment is supportive care, but some antivirals such as interferon have been shown to help stop the virus from replicating.
Difference between Corona Virus and SARS
Definition
Coronavirus is a newly discovered respiratory disease caused by a virus called 2022-nCoV. SARS is a respiratory disease caused by a type of virus known as SARS-CoV.
Invention
The coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2022. SARS was first discovered in southern China in November 2002.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of coronavirus can be confirmed through the transcription-polymerase chain assay (rRT-PCR) developed by the CDC. The diagnosis of SARS can be confirmed by indirect fluorescent-antibody detection, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription PCR assay.
Symptom
Symptoms of coronavirus include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, and the development of pneumonia. Symptoms of SARS include chills, fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing, muscle aches, and headache.
Transmission
Transmission of the coronavirus is not yet known but is thought to have spread from animals to humans and is now being passed from person to person. The transmission of SARS is from bats to cats, mongoose and to humans, also from one person to another.
Treatment
Treatment of coronavirus with antivirals has shown some success but most of the treatment is supportive care. Treatment of SARS is primarily supportive care, but interferon appears to stop viral replication in laboratory studies.
Dead
The current coronavirus death rate is 2%. The SARS mortality rate was 10%.
Summary:
From the explanation above, we can summarize the differences between Coronavirus and SARS as follows:
- Coronavirus and SARS are both types of viruses known as betacoronaviruses.
- Both coronavirus and SARS are respiratory infections that are spread from one person to another likely through respiratory droplets.
- SARS was discovered in 2002 and has had a higher mortality rate so far compared to the recently discovered coronavirus.
- The coronavirus in Wuhan was discovered in December 2022 and so far has a death toll of 2 out of 100 people.
- Antiviral drugs can help to treat SARS and seem to work against the coronavirus as well in some cases.
