Long before the word pandemic invaded everyday conversations, certain signals were already circulating without arousing suspicion. The beginnings of a respiratory disease that appeared in southern China in 2002 left little trace in the collective imagination. However, the story of SARS 2002 could have changed everything. This virus, still poorly understood at the time, came close to global disaster. However, the reaction did not match the threat. It was only with hindsight that we understood its importance. In reality, this first episode already announced the events to come.
An ignored signal from Foshan
On November 16, 2002, a first case of atypical pneumonia appeared in Foshan, China. The man works in the food industry and frequents so-called wet markets, where live wild animals are sold in conditions conducive to the spread of viruses. Live Science specifies that the first patients are sellers or cooks handling civets, poultry and other mammals.
The alert is not immediate. For two months, the disease circulated discreetly in Guangdong province. Caregivers in turn fall ill. It was not until January 2003 that health authorities identified several suspected cases. But the virus has already left the region. An infected doctor goes to Hong Kong for a wedding and triggers a series of international infections. The article shows that this single trip was enough to transport the epidemic to Vietnam, Canada and Europe.
SARS 2002, the epidemic that should have alerted us
When the WHO comes on the scene, the situation is already critical. Doctor Carlo Urbani, delegate to Vietnam, identifies the disease and alerts the international community. He died a few weeks later. Efforts to identify the virus intensified, until the discovery of a new coronavirus. The scientific synthesis published in the Journal of Infection and Public Health specifies that this virus, called SARS-CoV-1, probably comes from bats, with the palm civet as an intermediate host.
The epidemic affects a total of 29 countries, infects more than 8,000 people and kills 774 patients. Its lethality, close to 10%, makes it one of the most virulent coronaviruses known at the time. However, SARS spreads less easily than the flu. As it is only contagious after the appearance of symptoms, strict tracing strategies succeed in stopping its spread. This characteristic, highlighted in the scientific study, explains why the virus was contained before becoming a real pandemic.
From repetition to amplification with COVID
This epidemic could have served as a warning. It has led China to fundamentally reform its epidemiological surveillance system. The comparative report highlights that these advances enabled faster detection of SARS-CoV-2 at the end of 2019. However, this was not enough to slow its spread.
Unlike SARS 2002, the new coronavirus is transmitted before the first symptoms. It also affects asymptomatic patients, making control by isolation much more difficult. Live Science notes that this difference changes everything: The COVID pandemic is spreading at lightning speed, driven by global transportation and urbanization.
However, the two viruses have similar origins. In both cases, a coronavirus passes from animals to humans via wild animal markets. In 2017, virologist Kwok-Yung Yuen already warned that these practices had to stop. He called for better protection of natural environments in order to prevent future pandemics. These recommendations, although clear, were only partially followed.
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