Coronavirus are found in humans and animals.
There have been three global outbreaks of coronavirus select agents.
The first: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) | 2003
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. The illness spread to more than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia before the SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained.
Since 2004, there have not been any known cases of SARS reported anywhere in the world. The content in this website was developed for the 2003 SARS epidemic.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: SARS
The second: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) 2012
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is an illness caused by a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Most MERS patients developed severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. About 3 or 4 out of every 10 patients reported with MERS have died.
[Note: this disease was much more deadly than the current outbreak of COVID-19.]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: MERS
The third: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 2019
CDC is responding to an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in China and which has now been detected in 60 locations internationally, including in the United States. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19
Related | ABC-13, Houston February 29, 2020: Texas has 11 COVID-19 coronavirus cases, CDC says
Coronaviruses Are Not From Outer Space (maybe)
Common human coronaviruses, including types 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1, usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. Most people get infected with one or more of these viruses at some point in their lives. This information applies to common human coronaviruses and should not be confused with coronavirus disease 2019 (formerly referred to as 2019 Novel Coronavirus).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Common Human Coronaviruses
The CDC initially labeled the present threat – COVID-19 – as novel. Novel means “of a new kind; different from anything seen or known before”.
A Proper Prospective
Your chances of dying are 100%. We all will die. The influenza viruses killed about 25,000 Americans this 1019-2020 flu season. To date, COVID-19 has killed one American.
John White
Rockwall, Texas
