The Novel Coronavirus (aka Covid'19) is the newest zoonotic coronavirus to date. It is the seventh zoonotic coronavirus but it is comparably the most detrimental to society due to its extremely high transmission rate. The virus was recently deemed a Pandemic by the WHO and has caused nearly 15,000 deaths worldwide. To keep up with the statistics, check here: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/.
Viruses are microscopic particles that can infect the cells of biological organisms; they can infect animals, plants, fungi and even bacteria. Before entering the cells of an organism, viruses are known as virions. They are roughly one hundredth the size of a bacteria cell and consists of three key elements:
Genetic material: They have either DNA or RNA
a protein coat, or capsid, which protects the genetic information
a lipid envelope is sometimes present around the protein coat when the virus is outside of the cell
After contacting a host cell, a virus will insert genetic material into the host and take over that host's functions. And after infecting the cell, the virus continues to reproduce, but it produces more viral protein and genetic material instead of the usual cellular products.
Viruses are organisms that are not considered to be living as they do not fulfil the entirety of the MRS NERG classification for living. They lack the means for self-reproduction outside a host cell so viruses are generally not considered to be true living organisms because they can’t reproduce independently.
There are four distinct families of viruses and the Coronavirus belongs to the Nidovirales order: these viruses have 3-4 envelope proteins and have animal/human hosts in order to survive. The most infamous coronaviruses are the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) and the Novel Coronavirus.
But what exactly do the coronaviruses do that makes them so deadly? These viruses are zoonotic which means that they can be transmitted to nearly all living organisms and these viruses attack our respiratory systems mainly. The symptoms of the virus range from a common cold to viral pneumonia ("Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing" – MayoClinic) and can cause mass fatality when the human host already has preexisting conditions which make them susceptible to extreme respiratory conditions.
To understand the Coronavirus better, I recommend you visit this presentation that I made which explains the virus in much more depth here.
To understand the origin of the Covid'19, I recommend you view this video created by Guardian News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=136&v=aerq4byr7ps&feature=emb_title.
In the meantime, keep sanitising, stay healthy and isolate yourself if you may have symptoms. #SGStrong: we are in this together and we'll solve this crisis together.