SARS coronavirus, or SARS-CoV, is a virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). It was first identified in China in 2002 and led to a global outbreak in 2003. The virus primarily spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. SARS-CoV is part of the larger family of coronaviruses, which also includes other viruses like MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Symptoms of SARS can include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, and it can lead to severe pneumonia in some cases.