SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can damage the heart even without directly infecting the heart tissue, a new study has found. The research specifically looked at damage to the hearts of people with SARS-CoV2-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a serious lung condition that can be fatal. But researchers said the findings could have relevance to organs beyond the heart and also to viruses other than SARS-CoV-2.