COVID-19: The first documented coronavirus pandemic in history

doi:10.1016/j.bj.2020.04.007

Review

. 2020 Aug;43(4):328-333.

doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2020.04.007. Epub 2020 May 5.

COVID-19: The first documented coronavirus pandemic in history

Yen-Chin Liu¹, Rei-Lin Kuo², Shin-Ru Shih³

Affiliations

¹ The Research Center for Emerging Viral Infection, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
² The Research Center for Emerging Viral Infection, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
³ The Research Center for Emerging Viral Infection, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Clinical Virology Laboratory, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: srshih@mail.cgu.edu.tw.

PMID: 32387617
PMCID: PMC7199674
DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2020.04.007

Review

COVID-19: The first documented coronavirus pandemic in history

Yen-Chin Liu et al. Biomed J. 2020 Aug.

. 2020 Aug;43(4):328-333.

doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2020.04.007. Epub 2020 May 5.

Authors

Yen-Chin Liu¹, Rei-Lin Kuo², Shin-Ru Shih³

Affiliations

¹ The Research Center for Emerging Viral Infection, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
² The Research Center for Emerging Viral Infection, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
³ The Research Center for Emerging Viral Infection, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Clinical Virology Laboratory, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: srshih@mail.cgu.edu.tw.

PMID: 32387617
PMCID: PMC7199674
DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2020.04.007

Abstract

The novel human coronavirus disease COVID-19 has become the fifth documented pandemic since the 1918 flu pandemic. COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, and subsequently spread worldwide. The coronavirus was officially named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses based on phylogenetic analysis. SARS-CoV-2 is believed to be a spillover of an animal coronavirus and later adapted the ability of human-to-human transmission. Because the virus is highly contagious, it rapidly spreads and continuously evolves in the human population. In this review article, we discuss the basic properties, potential origin, and evolution of the novel human coronavirus. These factors may be critical for studies of pathogenicity, antiviral designs, and vaccine development against the virus.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Pandemic; SARS-COV-2.

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Figures

**Fig. 1**
A timeline of five pandemics since 1918 and the globally circulating viruses afterward.

**Fig. 2**
The putative life cycle of SARS-CoV-2.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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[1] Huang C., Wang Y., Li X., Ren L., Zhao J., Hu Y. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020;395:497–506. - PMC - PubMed

[2] Huang C., Wang Y., Li X., Ren L., Zhao J., Hu Y. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020;395:497–506. - PMC - PubMed

[3] Zhu N., Zhang D., Wang W., Li X., Yang B., Song J. A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med. 2020;382:727–733. - PMC - PubMed

[4] Zhu N., Zhang D., Wang W., Li X., Yang B., Song J. A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med. 2020;382:727–733. - PMC - PubMed

[5] Wu F., Zhao S., Yu B., Chen Y.M., Wang W., Song Z.G. A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China. Nature. 2020;579:265–269. - PMC - PubMed

[6] Wu F., Zhao S., Yu B., Chen Y.M., Wang W., Song Z.G. A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China. Nature. 2020;579:265–269. - PMC - PubMed

[7] Coronaviridae Study Group of the International Committee on Taxonomy of V The species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: classifying 2019-nCoV and naming it SARS-CoV-2. Nat Microbiol. 2020;5:536–544. - PMC - PubMed

[8] Coronaviridae Study Group of the International Committee on Taxonomy of V The species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: classifying 2019-nCoV and naming it SARS-CoV-2. Nat Microbiol. 2020;5:536–544. - PMC - PubMed

[9] Chan J.F., Yuan S., Kok K.H., To K.K., Chu H., Yang J. A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet. 2020;395:514–523. - PMC - PubMed

[10] Chan J.F., Yuan S., Kok K.H., To K.K., Chu H., Yang J. A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet. 2020;395:514–523. - PMC - PubMed

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COVID-19: The first documented coronavirus pandemic in history

Affiliations

COVID-19: The first documented coronavirus pandemic in history

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