Quick SARS question

[dcpsoguy]

I know you guys aren't all doctors, but it sounds like a simple question. Doctors in Rotterdam say it's a new form of coronavirus. What did the old form do? Like, the symptoms, stuff like that.

 

[Heisenberg]

IANAD, but I believe a coronavirus is just a type of virus. SARS is just a form of one they haven't seen before.

 

[dcpsoguy]

Thanks. What did the original virus do, and why can't they find a cure?

 

[Heisenberg]

Again, it's just a category of viruses. There's no "original" SARS virus. As for a cure, good luck. There's still a bunch of stuff we haven't found cures for.

Edit: I should clarify. SARS could be a mutated form of something else, so I suppose that could be considered the "original".

 

[dcpsoguy]

So you think it just has to make its rounds?

 

[Heisenberg]

I think eventually the WHO and CDC will get it under control (stop it from spreading) and it will burn itself out. The media hypes stuff like this up for their own purposes. If you look at the number of people who have died from it compared to other things (like the flu, which we don't even think about normally), SARS is pretty insignificant.