World Health Organization Declares Global Emergency: A Review of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Overview

Journal Int J Surg

Specialty General Surgery

Date 2020 Mar 1

PMID 32112977

Citations 2063

Authors

Catrin Sohrabi

Zaid Alsafi

Niamh ONeill

Mehdi Khan

Ahmed Kerwan

Ahmed Al-Jabir

Christos Iosifidis

Riaz Agha

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

An unprecedented outbreak of pneumonia of unknown aetiology in Wuhan City, Hubei province in China emerged in December 2019. A novel coronavirus was identified as the causative agent and was subsequently termed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Considered a relative of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), COVID-19 is caused by a betacoronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 that affects the lower respiratory tract and manifests as pneumonia in humans. Despite rigorous global containment and quarantine efforts, the incidence of COVID-19 continues to rise, with 90,870 laboratory-confirmed cases and over 3,000 deaths worldwide. In response to this global outbreak, we summarise the current state of knowledge surrounding COVID-19.

Citing Articles

Malabaricone C isolated from edible plants as a potential inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Mutmainah , Murai Y, Fujimoto A, Kawamura R, Kitamura A, Koolath S Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):8518.

PMID: 40074774 PMC: 11903690. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83633-8.

Visualising the voices of nursing: a co-designed video capturing the lived experiences of nurses in Northern Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blair C, Rafferty D, Murphy P, Brown M, Bowes K, Thompson R BMC Nurs. 2025; 24(1):237.

PMID: 40033351 PMC: 11877737. DOI: 10.1186/s12912-025-02881-9.

In situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles on silk: producing antibacterial fabrics.

Jin X, Li J, Liu J, Chen L, Liu C, Zhou Y Bioprocess Biosyst Eng. 2025; .

PMID: 40029393 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-025-03138-0.

A privacy-preserving dependable deep federated learning model for identifying new infections from genome sequences.

Mehedi S, Abdulrazak L, Ahmed K, Uddin M, Bui F, Chen L Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):7291.

PMID: 40025035 PMC: 11873272. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-89612-x.

QbD-steered HPTLC approach for concurrent estimation of six co-administered COVID-19 and cardiovascular drugs in different matrices: greenness appraisal.

Mohamed A, Sayed R, Shalaby A, Ibrahim H Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):6252.

PMID: 39979403 PMC: 11842590. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83692-x.

References

Lu R, Zhao X, Li J, Niu P, Yang B, Wu H . Genomic characterisation and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus: implications for virus origins and receptor binding. Lancet. 2020; 395(10224):565-574. PMC: 7159086. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30251-8. View

Li Q, Guan X, Wu P, Wang X, Zhou L, Tong Y . Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia. N Engl J Med. 2020; 382(13):1199-1207. PMC: 7121484. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2001316. View

Phelan A, Katz R, Gostin L . The Novel Coronavirus Originating in Wuhan, China: Challenges for Global Health Governance. JAMA. 2020; 323(8):709-710. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2020.1097. View

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(8):727-733. PMC: 7092803. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2001017. View

Wang D, Hu B, Hu C, Zhu F, Liu X, Zhang J . Clinical Characteristics of 138 Hospitalized Patients With 2019 Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA. 2020; 323(11):1061-1069. PMC: 7042881. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2020.1585. View

Lu H, Stratton C, Tang Y . Outbreak of pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan, China: The mystery and the miracle. J Med Virol. 2020; 92(4):401-402. PMC: 7166628. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25678. View

Chu C, Cheng V, Hung I, Wong M, Chan K, Chan K . Role of lopinavir/ritonavir in the treatment of SARS: initial virological and clinical findings. Thorax. 2004; 59(3):252-6. PMC: 1746980. DOI: 10.1136/thorax.2003.012658. View

Hui D, Wong P, Wang C . SARS: clinical features and diagnosis. Respirology. 2004; 8 Suppl:S20-4. PMC: 7169175. DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1843.2003.00520.x. View

Schultz M, Dunser M, Dondorp A, Adhikari N, Iyer S, Kwizera A . Current challenges in the management of sepsis in ICUs in resource-poor settings and suggestions for the future. Intensive Care Med. 2017; 43(5):612-624. DOI: 10.1007/s00134-017-4750-z. View

10.

Oh M, Beom Park W, Park S, Choe P, Bang J, Song K . Middle East respiratory syndrome: what we learned from the 2015 outbreak in the Republic of Korea. Korean J Intern Med. 2018; 33(2):233-246. PMC: 5840604. DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2018.031. View

11.

Rosjo H, Varpula M, Hagve T, Karlsson S, Ruokonen E, Pettila V . Circulating high sensitivity troponin T in severe sepsis and septic shock: distribution, associated factors, and relation to outcome. Intensive Care Med. 2010; 37(1):77-85. PMC: 3020309. DOI: 10.1007/s00134-010-2051-x. View

12.

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(10223):497-506. PMC: 7159299. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. View

13.

Rhodes A, Evans L, Alhazzani W, Levy M, Antonelli M, Ferrer R . Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock: 2016. Intensive Care Med. 2017; 43(3):304-377. DOI: 10.1007/s00134-017-4683-6. View

14.

Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X, Qu J, Gong F, Han Y . Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. Lancet. 2020; 395(10223):507-513. PMC: 7135076. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7. View

15.

Fehr A, Perlman S . Coronaviruses: an overview of their replication and pathogenesis. Methods Mol Biol. 2015; 1282:1-23. PMC: 4369385. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2438-7_1. View

16.

Rothe C, Schunk M, Sothmann P, Bretzel G, Froeschl G, Wallrauch C . Transmission of 2019-nCoV Infection from an Asymptomatic Contact in Germany. N Engl J Med. 2020; 382(10):970-971. PMC: 7120970. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2001468. View

17.

Liu K, Fang Y, Deng Y, Liu W, Wang M, Ma J . Clinical characteristics of novel coronavirus cases in tertiary hospitals in Hubei Province. Chin Med J (Engl). 2020; 133(9):1025-1031. PMC: 7147277. DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000000744. View

18.

Wang W, Tang J, Wei F . Updated understanding of the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China. J Med Virol. 2020; 92(4):441-447. PMC: 7167192. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25689. View

19.

Parry J . China coronavirus: Hong Kong health staff strike to demand border closure as city records first death. BMJ. 2020; 368:m454. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m454. View