Abstract
The technology-driven world of the 21st century is currently confronted with a major threat to humankind, represented by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome, coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of now, COVID-19 has affected more than 6 million confirmed cases and took 0.39 million human lives. SARS-CoV-2 spreads much faster than its two ancestors, SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome-CoV (MERS-CoV), but has low fatality rates. Our analyses speculate that the efficient replication and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 might be due to the high-density basic amino acid residues, preferably positioned in close proximity at both the furin-like cleavage sites (S1/S2 and S2′) within the spike protein. Given the high genomic similarities of SARS-CoV-2 to bat SARS-like CoVs, it is likely that bats serve as a reservoir host for its progenitor. Women and children are less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, while the elderly and people with comorbidities are more prone to serious clinical outcomes, which may be associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and cytokine storm. The cohesive approach amongst researchers across the globe has delivered high-end viral diagnostics. However, home-based point-of-care diagnostics are still under development, which may prove transformative in current COVID-19 pandemic containment. Similarly, vaccines and therapeutics against COVID-19 are currently in the pipeline for clinical trials. In this review, we discuss the noteworthy advancements, focusing on the etiological viral agent, comparative genomic analysis, population susceptibility, disease epidemiology and diagnosis, animal reservoirs, laboratory animal models, disease transmission, therapeutics, vaccine challenges, and disease mitigation measures.
Highlights
The ongoing global threat, declared a pandemic by international health agencies, originated from a newly emerging coronavirus (CoV), designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2) [1]
With the exponential increment in SARS-CoV-2 cases globally, the non-availability of effective and specific antiviral treatment, and the lack of specific vaccines, the primary focus has been on minimizing contact with infected persons, asymptomatic carriers, or contaminated surfaces to contain the spread of the virus
The basic reproduction number plays a pivotal role in infectious disease epidemiology and indicates the risk a pathogen carries with respect to its spread
Summary
The ongoing global threat, declared a pandemic by international health agencies, originated from a newly emerging coronavirus (CoV), designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Market,These and molecular analyses of SARS-CoV-2 sequences suggest back to late findings raised specific questionsgenomic pertinent to the COVID-19 its origin and is traced back toseafood late November. These findingshuman raised transmission specific questions epidemic the Wuhan market. The events leading to bat the SARS-like emergence CoVs, of a virus capable infecting ainnew host haveprior occurred a recombination between followed byofmutations civet. No approved, specific candidates, and have succeeded to a significant extent in identifying several repurposed drugs, monoclonal therapeutic antibodies, and vaccine candidates Many such treatment options are in the different stages of pre-clinical and clinical development. This review highlights the significant progress made in the measures for the resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, using virus genomic analysis, the assessment of global epidemiological trends, transmission patterns, the present-day status of therapeutics, and public health preparedness plans for controlling the wider dissemination of the disease
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