ABSTRACT
The new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) represents a challenge for global health. Since the outbreak began, the number of confirmed cases has exceeded 117 million, with more than 2.6 million deaths worldwide. With public health measures aimed at containing the spread of the disease, several countries have faced a crisis in the availability of intensive care units. Currently, a large-scale effort is underway to identify the nucleotide sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that is an etiological agent of COVID-19. Global sequencing of thousands of viral genomes has revealed many common genetic variants, which enables the monitoring of the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and the tracking of its spread over time. Understanding the current evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is necessary not only for a retrospective analysis of the new coronavirus infection spread, but also for the development of approaches to the therapy and prophylaxis of COVID-19. In this review, we have focused on the general characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Also, we have analyzed available publications on the genetic diversity of the virus and the relationship between the diversity and the biological properties of SARS-CoV-2, such as virulence and contagiousness.