For many people, getting a disease that could kill them is one of the most terrifying aspects of daily life. Since 9/11, more people have become aware that it is no longer just third world countries that are at risk for terrorist attacks from both manmade and natural threats, but that it could in fact strike anywhere. A year after the 9/11 terror attacks, there was a surge in SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) patients and many people began to worry about what could happen if they were infected.

Fortunately, the SARS scare didn’t last very long and wasn’t nearly as bad as what many people anticipated. Nevertheless, there is still a need for people to understand the signs of SARS and to know when it is pertinent to go to the hospital for treatment. This means that understanding the symptoms of SARS is an important part of life if you’re travelling to or living in an area that has known SARS outbreaks.

At first glance, almost all of the symptoms could be easily confused with other illnesses. However, they all mean that you should seek medical treatment when combined with a fever of 100.4 degrees Ferenheit or more. These symptoms include myalgia and lethargy as well as gastrointestinal symptoms, cough, and sore throat. There may be other symptoms as well that will, often times, look like other various illnesses and a shortness of breath may set in later on in the cycle of the disease.