Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. This is a novel (new) strain which first appeared in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019. The official name for this virus is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) amd the disease it causes is called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).



The virus is believed to be zoonotic (passes between animals and humans) and is related to SARS (2003) and MERS (2012). According to current estimates, COVID-19 has a case fatality rate of 1-4%, with population above 60 years old and those with pre-existing conditions to be at higher risk.



Common signs of infection include fever (87%) and dry cough (68%). Many affected patients might also be asymptomatic. In more severe cases, infection can lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, septic shock and eventual death.



