COVID-19 pandemic

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COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China.

Pronunciation

  • COVID-19: /ˈkoʊ.vɪd naɪnˈtiːn/
  • pandemic: /pænˈdɛmɪk/

Etymology

The term "COVID-19" is an abbreviation of "coronavirus disease 2019". The name "coronavirus" is derived from Latin corona, meaning "crown" or "wreath", referring to the characteristic appearance of the virus particles. The term "pandemic" is from Greek pan, meaning "all", and demos, meaning "people".

Related terms

  • Epidemic: An outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time.
  • Pandemic: An epidemic that has spread over a large area, that is, it's prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world.
  • Virus: A small infectious agent that can only replicate inside the living cells of an organism.
  • Quarantine: A restriction on the movement of people and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests.
  • Social distancing: A set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disease by maintaining a physical distance between people and reducing the number of times people come into close contact with each other.
  • Vaccine: A biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.

External links

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