The recent Alabama mystery illness was feared to be a new virus similar to SARS or the H7N9 bird flu, but the Alabama Department of Public Health announced on Thursday that the mystery illness was simply a mixture of the common cold and flu.

On May 16, seven respiratory illnesses were reported in the southeastern part of Alabama. Seven patients had symptoms such as a cough, fever, and shortness of breath. The cause of these symptoms was unknown and led health officials to believe that it was a "mystery illness."

As a result, two patients lost their lives to the mystery illness when they were infected by pneumonia, according to Dr. Mary McIntyre who was leader of the health investigation.

Although the seven patients were very different in age and test results, Dr. Richard Besser, chief health and medical editor for ABC News, said that it is important to treat these cases the same.

"You never want to assume that there isn't a connection, because as soon as you do that you will be proved wrong," said Dr. Besser.

Despite the Alabama health department failing to find a link connecting the patients, Besser points out the severe consequences that could have followed from the breakout of the mystery illness.

He says, "The first cases of the next SARS or the next flu pandemic could look very much like this. You treat every one of the clusters the same: You attack it with rapid public health science."

Besser also says, "This is a great example of science sorting through the mystery of a 'pseudo-outbreak.'" Fortunately, the mystery illness was neither the next SARS nor a new avian flu, but "a variety of infections that just happened to occur close in time."

The patients ranged from young people in their mid-20s to elders in late-80s. The five patients who are still alive with the illness are now recovering, said McIntyre on Wednesday. One patient was hospitalized but was released on Tuesday.