The GenBank scientific collaboration network around the SARS disease outbreak.

1. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory illness
caused by a coronavirus, called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV).
SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. The illness spread to more
than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia
before the SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained.
Since 2004, there have not been any known cases of SARS reported
anywhere in the world.
(Source:http://www.cdc.gov/sars/about/index.html)

2. SARS broke out in 2003, the year when the number of
submissions and references spiked. A total of 275 SARS
submissions and 278 papers appeared from 2003 to 2012.
Data Source: GenBank

3. China was the center of SARS outbreak in 2003. The submissions
by Chinese scientists counted the largest proportion for the next
five years.

4. Scientists collaborated in SARS research during 2003 and 2004.
After 2004 when SARS was under control and no new case was
reported, collaboration in this research field dropped.

5. Each color
represents a
different continent.
Scientists who are
labeled are those
worked on various
projects launched
by different
continents.