COVID-19: An update of current knowledge (Review)

Abstract

There is a current public health issue threatening human health worldwide with the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The infection was reported to first originate in bats and subsequently spread to humans via yet unknown source animals in Wuhan, Hubei, China in December, 2019. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by extreme acute respiratory coronavirus-2 syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) is an unprecedented healthy global emergency. The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has once again revealed the vulnerabilities of global healthcare systems, the capacity of these systems to respond to an infectious threat, as well as the rate of infection and transmission across international borders. The present review article aimed to provide an update of the current knowledge regarding COVID-19 epidemiology, patho- genesis and transmission, as well as public health measures. The present review also emphasises the key learning points related to COVID-19 prevention and identifies the need to invest in healthcare systems, community-led defence systems, as well as the need for resilience and global health security.