A re-emerging coronavirus (2019-ncov) : a review

ABSTRACT

@#SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCov is the Coronavirus first named in 2019 that originated in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province China in December 2019. It causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The clinical disease is called COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. SARS-CoV-2 enters the cell via the ACE-2 receptor. COVID-19 rapidly evolved into a pandemic by late February 2020. This review article focuses on the epidemiology, biology, pathogenesis, management and prevention of this virus that has high morbidity and mortality globally. The epicenter of the pandemic rapidly moved from China to Europe, with Italy being the most severely affected; it has since moved to USA, with New York State as the most severely affected. It is transmitted via aerosols and fomites. It causes severe upper and lower respiratory infections. The symptoms include fever, dry cough and malaise. These often rapidly progress to respiratory failure needing aggressive respiratory support. Confirmation of the diagnosis is usually by using Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR). Some of the WHO recommended preventive measures include, among others, using alcohol based sanitizers, N95 facemask and strict quarantine of patients and contacts.