COVID-19
Is COVID-19 the same as SARS or MERS?
While COVID-19 has become a global pandemic, there were speculations whether it is similar to SARS or MERS as the virus responsible for COVID-19 belongs to the group of coronaviruses responsible for them as well.
Summary: 60 Second Read
This article will cover-
Overview
Coronaviruses are a group of related viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that can be mild, such as some cases of the common cold, and others that can be lethal, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.
But this does not mean that COVID-19 is the same as SARS or MERS or can be treated in a similar way for that matter. The virus that causes COVID-19 and the one that caused the outbreak of SARS in 2003 or MERS in 2012 are related to each other genetically, but the diseases they cause are quite different.
How does COVID-19 differ from SARS & MERS?
There are some similarities between COVID-19, SARS and MERS like how they affect our respiratory system or show similar symptoms. However, there are also important differences.
- COVID-19 cases can range from mild to severe, while SARS & MERS cases, in general, were always more severe.
- COVID-19 spreads more easily then SARS or MERS.
Conclusion
No. COVID-19 is not the same as SARS or MERS. Even though the coronaviruses responsible for these diseases are genetically related, the diseases themselves are quite different.
