The new coronavirus and the SARS coronavirus both belong to the coronavirus group, but are different viruses. The SARS virus has been isolated from civets, so it is thought that civets may be an intermediate host for the SARS virus. A virus similar to the new coronavirus has been found in the pangolin, so it is now thought that the pangolin is a suspected intermediate host. The routes of infection are similar in that both are transmitted through the respiratory tract, droplets and close contact. The clinical course is also similar, with symptoms such as cough, fever and parenchymal lung damage; SARS causes more severe lung damage and has a higher mortality rate. The new coronavirus will be more contagious, but the clinical course seems to be milder than that of SARS, and some patients may even present with a mild, flu-like course. Source: Dr. Yurai