Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a newly emerged disease that rapidly spread around the world. The disease originated in southern China and a novel coronavirus (SARS CoV) has been implicated as the causative organism. The path this virus took to set up human infection remains a mystery, though preliminary data point to origins in an animal reservoir. Nosocomial transmission of SARS CoV has been a striking feature in this epidemic. The clinical illness is similar to many acute respiratory infections, although a large proportion of patients show a rapid deterioration with respiratory distress towards the end of the second week of illness. The management principles are broadly similar to treating any community acquired pneumonia but the infection control measures take a pivotal role. There is no proven antiviral agent against SARS CoV. The most remarkable feature about the SARS epidemic was the speed with which the global community acted in a coordinated way to control it.