Cause mild to moderate respiratory illnesses such as
common cold.
Able to survive in dry air for up to 3 hours.
Can be killed by
exposure to ultra-violet light, so they will not survive under sunlight.
Mutate easily, and each mutation triggers off an
epidemic of respiratory disease.
A new mutation, which arose in Guangdong is suspected of causing SARS.
The name coronavirus refers to the protein molecules surrounding the virus, making it look like a crown (n.corona lat
= crown).