Review of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Based on Current Evidence

The coronaviruses are a group of RNA-containing agents known to cause respiratory illnesses in humans and animals. This virus has caused two largescale pandemics in humans in the past two decades, SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes the disease Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been isolated from in a seafood and poultry market in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2019. Cases have been detected in most countries worldwide, and on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized the outbreak as a pandemic. The virus spreads from person-to-person via close contact, respiratory droplets, or surface contact. The disease is mild in most people, yet may progress to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multi-organ dysfunction, and even death. Treatment is essentially supportive as the role of antiviral agents is yet to be established. At the moment, is known relatively little about COVID-19, except that it is a highly pathogenic and possibly zoonotic agent. Therefore, the objective of this review paper is to summarize the current published evidence on the genomic structure, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).