ALLAN KENETH A.

PEREZ

GRADE 11-HUMMS – ST. CHARLES BOROMEO

HISTORY AND SPREAD OF COVID-19

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (abbreviated as COVID-19) is a respiratory disease that was

first detected in China and has now been detected in 70 locations internationally

including United States.

Last January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of

the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of

International concern.

On March 11, 2020, the WHO (World Health Organization) declared COVID-19 a

pandemic as the number of infected countries grows.

As we all know, coronaviruses are a large family of virus that are common in people

and many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely,
animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people, such as

MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and now with the new virus, SARS-CoV 2.

The SARS-CoV 2 virus is a betacoronavirus, like MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. All of the

three viruses have their origins in the bats.

Both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV have been known to cause severe illness in the people.

The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully understood. Reported

illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting to death. Older

people including those people with compromised immune systems and certain

underlying health conditions seem to be at greater risk of serious illness.

Health care workers caring for patients and close contact of persons with COVID-19 are

at elevated risk of exposure.