Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory illness caused by
a corona virus. SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. Over the next few
months, the illness spread to more than two dozen countries in North America, South
America, Europe, and Asia before the SARS global outbreak of 2003. The main way that
SARS seems to spread is by close person-to-person contact, or is thought to be
transmitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus also can spread when a
person touches a surface or object "contaminated with infectiou…
