Background
What is a
coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a group of structurally related RNA viruses that
primarily cause upper respiratory tract infections in humans. The name
corona, meaning crown, comes from the distinct appearance of the virus
on electron microscopy, where the outer lipid membrane is punctuated by
crown-like spikes1. Historically, coronaviruses were
recognised as a cause of the common cold but in recent years several
dangerous new strains have emerged which can result in fatal illnesses.
These new coronaviruses are the cause of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome), MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) and most recently
COVID-19. They are all zoonoses and appear to have been transmitted to
humans from bats via intermediate animal hosts. COVID-19, which is
caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus, has vastly exceeded the global impact of
SARS and MERS to become a major new cause of worldwide morbidity and
mortality.