SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19: The virus, the disease and the pandemic

Abstract

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic in March 2020. Fatality rates are estimated to be between 1% and 3%, affecting primarily the aging population and those with comorbidities, such as hy-pertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The average incubation period is 5 days but can be as long as 14 days. The majority of infected patients are asymptomatic; however, they release large amounts of viral particles that con-tribute to the challenges for containing the spread of the infection, and threatening to overwhelm health systems. Intense surveillance is vital for controlling the further spread of the virus, and isolation remains the most effective means of blocking the spread of the disease. This article aims to review the virus and the disease involved in a new pandemic since the appearance of H1N1 flu in 2009, which killed hundreds of thousands worldwide. Topics such as the pathogen, epidemiology, clinical featu-res, diagnosis and treatment will be covered.