s SARS-CoV-2: Origin, Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Interventions

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) rapidly infected a large population in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China. Since then, it has been spread all over the world, causing a pandemic termed as Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19. It has infected over 32 million people and caused more than nine lakhs casualties worldwide to date. Till now, no specific drug or vaccine has been developed to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. WHO has announced that maintaining personal hygiene and social distancing are the best available options against COVID-19. Various experimental and re-purposed drugs are being used as preventive and supportive therapy in different parts of the world. Comprehensive information about SARS-CoV-2 is required to develop therapeutic approaches for the prevention of COVID-19. In this article, we have comprehensively reviewed the origin, structure, and infection mechanism of SARS-CoV-2. We have also discussed the pathology of COVID-19, and various therapeutic interventions that are being used for drug development against COVID-19.