SARS-CoV-2

See also: COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), colloquially known as the coronavirus and previously known by the provisional name 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. It causes the respiratory illness known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Quotes

• We were preparing for something like this as it's not a matter of if, it is a matter of when.
  • Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead on Covid-19 talking about the transfer of viruses from animals to humans; quoted in Victoria Gill, "Coronavirus: A hunt for the 'missing link' host species", BBC (4 May 2020)

See also

• COVID-19 vaccine
• Disease X