ARTICLE 3

A continuous occurrence of an unknown acute respiratory tract infection was reported in Wuhan
City, Hubei Province, China, since 12th December 2019, originating from the Hunan South China
Seafood Market [1]. On the 7th January 2020, Chinese scientists isolated the unknown viral sample
from an infected person and sequenced its genome using the next gene sequencing tool. They
reported that the virus had 96.3% genetic similarity with a Yunnan bat coronavirus RaTG13 and 70%
homology with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) [2]. On the 12th January
2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the cause of this epidemic outbreak was a
novel coronavirus discovered in 2019 (2019-nCoV) or SARS-CoV-2 and named the disease
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) [3]. However, the answer to the origin of SARS-CoV-2 remains
to be determined.

The SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly to other countries including South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand,
Singapore, Japan, Italy, Iran, Spain, USA, UK and was classified by the WHO as a pandemic on 12th
March 2020 [3]. As of the 17th April 2020, there are a total of 2,230,439 cases of COVID-19; 150,810
cases of deaths and 564,210 recovered cases have been reported throughout the world [4]. The USA
has had the highest number of cases of COVID-19 (686,431) and number of deaths (35,578) [4].
There have been 58,179 USA patients who have recovered from COVID-19 [4]. On the 17th April
2020, a total of 8,861 new cases and 961 new deaths were reported in USA [4]. The number of cases
has increased exponentially in USA, Italy, Spain, UK, Turkey, and Russia. This article describes COVID-
19 and its outbreak in Malaysia.

Main idea Supporting detail

A continuous occurrence of an unknown acute
respiratory tract infection
Chinese scientists isolated the unknown viral
sample
the World Health Organization (WHO)
announced the cause of this epidemic outbreak
The SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly to other
countries
The USA has had the highest number of cases
of COVID-19
was reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province,
China, since 12th December 2019, originating
from the Hunan South China Seafood Market
an infected person and sequenced its genome
using the next gene sequencing tool. They
reported that the virus had 96.3% genetic
similarity with a Yunnan bat coronavirus
RaTG13 and 70% homology with severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)
a novel coronavirus discovered in 2019 (2019-
nCoV) or SARS-CoV-2 and named the disease
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
including South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand,
Singapore, Japan, Italy, Iran, Spain, USA, UK and
was classified by the WHO as a pandemic on
12th March 2020
(686,431) and number of deaths (35,578) [4].
There have been 58,179 USA patients who have
recovered from COVID-19