COVID-19 Vs. SARS – What Are The Differences?
The Coronavirus caused COVID-19. It turned to be the hot topic of every news headline across the globe. However, every other person was accustomed to this term, Coronavirus, when it came into the limelight during the outbreak of 2003. The world went through SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).
Do you know what? Coronavirus caused both of the diseases; either you name it Covid-19 or SARS. Whereas, SARS-CoV, the virus resulted in SARS, but SARS-CoV-2, the virus caused COVID-19. You may come across many other kinds of coronaviruses viruses faced by human beings.
The names of the coronaviruses may look similar, yet they have a lot of differences between them. Have a look at the article to explore the differences between the two viruses, which led to SARS and COVID-19.
Do you know about Coronavirus?
Viruses have a very diversified family of Coronaviruses. The host range of this virus is large enough. The human is inclusive in the host range. However, you may notice the greatest quantity of diversification in the bats.
The surfaces of coronaviruses have crowns like spiky projections. In Latin, Corona means Crown. This is how this branch of viruses got its name.
Human Coronaviruses may lead to mild illnesses of respiratory in the majority of time like the common flu. In fact, four kinds of human Coronaviruses may become the underlying reason behind the 10-30% of tract infections in the upper respiratory in elderly people.
When the development of animal coronavirus takes place and build the ability to transmit into human beings, a new kind of Coronavirus will emerge. The zoonotic transmission will occur when the germs transmit from the animals to human beings.
Coronaviruses can lead to serious illnesses when they jump from animals to human beings. It can occur due to numerous factors; specifically, human beings lack immunity against the new virus.
Have a look at the following examples of these Coronaviruses:
SARS started due to the virus, SARS-CoV, which the human beings identified in 2003. Another respiratory syndrome known as MERS came into existence because of MERS-CoV, identified in the year 2012. The latest COVID-19, which is in the limelight, is due to the virus, SARS-CoV-2. The world acknowledged its existence in 2019.
Do you know about SARS?
SARS-CoV leads to respiratory disease. It has the name of SARS. The SARS stands for “Severe acute respiratory syndrome.” SARS spread across the globe from late 2002 and existed till mid of 2003. More than 8000 people got ill, and 774 deaths took place during this period of nearly one and a half years.
SARS-CoV has its origination from the bats most probably. There is a strong belief revolving around it that the virus originated from the bats and transmitted to the civet cat, the intermediate host among the animals to that virus. Finally, the virus jumped into human beings.
SARS got a fever as its first sign. It may show up other symptoms too like
- Body pain and aches
- Fatigue or malaise.
However, you may notice that the respiratory sign can turn out to be worse. This may further cause shortness of breath. This does not end here. Serious cases can have rapid progress. It may further lead to respiratory distress or pneumonia.
Is there any difference between SARS and COVID-19?
Firstly you must study the similarity between the two viruses:
- Coronaviruses are the major reason behind both of the diseases.
- Both diseases are respiratory diseases.
- These diseases are thought to have their origination from the bats. However, it transmitted through the animal host (immediate) to human beings finally.
- These respiratory illnesses may spread easily by respiratory droplets. It takes place when the person sneezes or coughs who is already contaminated with the virus. It can also occur when the person has direct contact with the contaminated surfaces or objects.
- The diseases have like similarity on different surfaces and in the air.
- They are extremely dangerous as they can cause serious illnesses. At times, people may require mechanical ventilation or oxygen.
- The illnesses can turn out to be worse. With the passing days, these diseases show worsening symptoms.
- These both illnesses target the same risk groups like the elderly people as well as people who are having underlying health issues.
- Both diseases have no vaccines or treatments.
- However, they look alike, yet they have some differences between them in terms of symptoms, viruses, and illnesses.
Overall, SARS and COVID-19 have similar symptoms. Yet, you can notice some differences among them:
Approximately 20% of the infected people with COVID-19 needs hospitalization for their treatment. Lesser people among them will require mechanical ventilation. However, the patients of SARS had more severeness. Approximately 20-30% of these people needed mechanical ventilation.
COVID-19 has the mortality rate to vary greatly due to factors like the population’s characteristics and location. COVID-19 has a mortality rate of estimated between 0.25- 3 %. However, SARS was more deadly in comparison to COVID-19. The mortality rate is somewhere near 10%.
It appears that COVID-19 is more easily transmitted in comparison to SARS. There is a possible explanation behind it that the virus load or the quantity of that virus is highest in the throats as well as noses of the people suffering from COVID-19. It starts to appear shortly after the development of symptoms.
In comparison to the SARS, the viral loads get a peak in a much later phase of the illness. This shows that people affected by COVID-19 transmit the Coronavirus in the earlier phase of infection. It is probably the time when the symptoms are evolving and yet not worsened.
You must know that the COVID-19 doesn’t show its symptoms. It can spread from person to person who does not show any symptoms of the COVID-19, as discussed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There lies another difference between COVID-19 and SARS. There is no report of any case of the transmission of SARS before the development of symptoms.
- Molecular factors
According to the genome (genetic information), a study of the sample of SARs-CoV-2 showed that in comparison to the SARS virus, this virus had closer relationships with the bat coronaviruses. The later and former coronaviruses have a genetic similarity of 79%.
There was also a comparison done between the other coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 regarding the receptor binding. You must keep in mind that a virus has to do interaction with the proteins on the surface of the cells (receptors) when it needs to enter the cells. The virus makes this possible through the proteins on the surface of the virus itself.
The analysis of the receptor binding site of SARS-CoV-2 of the protein sequence took place. The results were really interesting. Though the SARS-CoV-2 had more similarity with the bat coronaviruses, still more similarity was obvious in the SARS-CoV-2 and the receptor binding.
- Receptor binding
The entrance and binding of new Coronavirus to the cells in comparison to the SARS virus are important to study through the ongoing studies. There are varying results. Moreover, it is important to consider that the research took place for the proteins, not in the context of the whole virus.
The recent study confirmed identical cell receptors of host for both the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Also, the viral proteins of both cells had the same affinity or tightness.
Another study showed that SARS-CoV-2 had stronger binding to the receptor of the host cell. This may explain the reader about the reason behind the easy spreading in contrast to the SARS.
Is COVID-19 about to last longer than SARS?
Global SARS is not present since 2003. The last cases reported in 2004. The SARS was under control due to the following preventive measures:
- Isolation after early detection of the case
- Isolation after contact tracing
- Social distancing
Does the question arise that practicing the same measures will lead to the end of cases or not? It can turn out to be a bit difficult in this case. It is merely because of 80 % of the people affected by COVID-19 experience mild symptoms. Some people are even unaware of the fact that they are ill. This leaves the people in ambiguity that whether they have the infection or not.
COVID-19 patients tend to transfer the virus in the initial phase of infection. It makes the detection of the virus difficult and isolation of the people hard before it tends to spread to other people.
COVID-19 tends to spread internationally and within the communities. However, SARS spread in healthcare settings. The world is now a perfect global village and having stronger ties within countries and regions.
Some viruses like common cold and flu follow the patterns of seasons. Thus, people are unclear whether COVID-19 will end up when the weather is warmer.