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Review
. 2020 Sep;33(5):e13525.
doi: 10.1111/dth.13525. Epub 2020 May 22.

Comprehensive overview of COVID-19 based on current evidence

Yue Kang  1 , Silu Xu  2
Affiliations
Review

Comprehensive overview of COVID-19 based on current evidence

Yue Kang et al. Dermatol Ther. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

In December 2019, twenty-seven pneumonia patients with unknown causes originated in South China seafood market in Wuhan. The virus infection spread rapidly and swept through China in less than a month. Subsequently, the virus was proven a novel coronavirus and named SARS-CoV-2. The outbreak of novel coronavirus has been determined as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by WHO on January 31, 2020. Similar to other coronaviruses like the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) CoV and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) CoV, the novel coronavirus was reported to spread via respiratory droplets and close contact from human to human, which means the virus is highly infectious and dangerous. Unfortunately, till now the virus has spread to over 200 countries/territories/areas around the world and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is continuing to grow. Currently, information sharing and transparency are essential for risk assessment and epidemic control in all endemic areas. In this article, we compared SARS-CoV-2 with SARS-CoV and influenza virus, discussed current researching progress of COVID-19, including clinical characteristics, pathological changes, treatment measures, and so on.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV; SARS-CoV-2; influenza virus; pathological changes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors disclose no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The daily newly confirmed (divided into local and imported) and suspected COVID‐19 cases in China by April 2, 2020
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Daily confirmed new COVID‐19 cases in WHO regions outside of China from March 1 to April 2, 2020
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Daily confirmed new COVID‐19 cases in countries outside of China with total confirmed cases ranking top 8 till April 2, 2020
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Multiple organ injuries after SARS‐CoV‐2 infected human organisms
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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