[ramdalesh]

Where was the first outbreak of the disease, and was there only one origin or were there several?

[Mitchell]

Where was the first outbreak of the disease, and was there only one origin or were there several?

The first case is believed to be that of a 46-year-old man in Foshan; this goes back to Nov. 16, 2002. He has recovered. Here are links to two articles: Earliest Known SARS Case Stays Anonymous, and Tracing the Path of SARS: A Tale of Deadly Infection (which identifies him).

A peculiar coincidence is that Foshan is also where the Code Red Internet worm is thought to have originated.