How similar is COVID-19 to SARS?

The 2019 novel coronavirus has become a worldwide concern since it first surfaced in Wuhan, China last December.

According to an episode of Pinoy MD, the 2019 novel coronavirus belongs to the same family as the coronavirus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which claimed 916 lives in 2003.

Dr. Rio Diola, a pulmonologist at Delos Santos Medical Center, said the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and SARS are similar when it comes to transmission.

"Ang transmission ng SARS ay droplet din, katulad noong mga kapag umuubo 'yong isang tao na mayroong SARS tapos may isang malapit na individual, maaari siyang maka-acquire ng sakit na SARS," Diola said.

Symptoms of SARS include coughing, chest pain or difficulty in breathing, and fever. This virus usually targets people with weak immunity.

Although SARS and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, they are different when it comes to the viruses' genetic composition, Diola said.

"Ang pagkakaiba nila is 'yong genetic composition nila. So ang genetic composition noong una nilang nadiskubre na mayroong viral infection na nagkaroon noon sa Wuhan, ang iniisip nila initially is katulad siya noong sa SARS. But then noong sinuri nila 'yong genetic composition, magkaiba sila," she said.

Moreover, the mortality rate of SARS is at 10%, while that of COVID-19 is at 2%.

On Feb. 2, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III confirmed the second COVID-19 case in the Philippines — the first death in the country and outside China.

In a press conference, Duque said the 44-year-old Chinese male companion of the first confirmed case of the virus in the country, a 38-year-old Chinese woman, also tested positive for the epidemic. He died on Saturday.

Both Chinese nationals came from Wuhan, China and were confined at San Lazaro Hospital.

As of Sunday, March 15, the Department of Health said the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 140.

The death toll due to COVID-19 in the Philippines rose to 12 as of evening of March 15, the DOH said.

As of March 15, there were 153,648 cases of COVID-19 and 5,746 deaths in 146 countries or territories, the World Health Organization said. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/LA/KG, GMA News