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Today in History: First SARS case recorded in Guangdong, China

11/16/2025

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Summary

Story summary

On November 16, 2002, the first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was reported in Guangdong, China. This zoonotic disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-1 virus, led to a global outbreak from 2002 to 2004, infecting over 8,000 individuals and resulting in at least 774 deaths worldwide.

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Story summary

On November 16, 2002, the first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was reported in Guangdong, China. This zoonotic disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-1 virus, led to a global outbreak from 2002 to 2004, infecting over 8,000 individuals and resulting in at least 774 deaths worldwide.