Outbreak of COVID-19: A Detailed Overview and Its Consequences

Saurabh Shivalkar; M Shivapriya Pingali; Arushi Verma; Anirudh Singh; Vishal Singh; Biswaranjan Paital; Debashis Das; Pritish Kumar Varadwaj; Sintu Kumar Samanta

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-85113-2_2

Outbreak of COVID-19: A Detailed Overview and Its Consequences

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021:1353:23-45. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-85113-2_2.

Authors

Saurabh Shivalkar¹, M Shivapriya Pingali¹, Arushi Verma¹, Anirudh Singh¹, Vishal Singh¹, Biswaranjan Paital², Debashis Das³, Pritish Kumar Varadwaj⁴, Sintu Kumar Samanta⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Allahabad, India.
² Reodx Regulation Laboratory, Department of Zoology, College of Basic Science and Humanities, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. biswaranjanpaital@gmail.com.
³ Department of Botany, College of Basic Science and Humanities, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
⁴ Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Allahabad, India. pritish@iiita.ac.in.
⁵ Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Allahabad, India. samantasintu@iiita.ac.in.

PMID: 35137366
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-85113-2_2

Abstract

Introduction: After the outbreak from Wuhan City of China, COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has become a pandemic worldwide in a very short span of time. The high transmission rate and pathogenicity of this virus have made COVID-19 a major public health concern globally. Basically, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 is the third introduction of a highly infectious human epidemic coronavirus in the twenty-first century. Various research groups have claimed bats to be the natural host of SARS-CoV-2. However, the intermediate host and mode of transmission from bat to humans are not revealed yet. The COVID-19 cost hundreds and thousands of lives and millions are facing the consequences. The objective of this chapter was to analyze the outbreak of COVID-19 and problems faced globally.

Methods: All published relevant literature from scientific sources and reputed news channels are considered to write the current review.

Results: Generally, elder persons and more particularly people with underlying medical conditions are found to be highly vulnerable to severe infection and prone to fatal outcomes. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment with clinically approved drugs or vaccines to treat this disease. Several research groups have been investigating the efficacies of several antiviral and repurposed drugs. Currently, most of the SARS-COV-2 vaccines are at the preclinical or clinical stage of development. The latest research progress on the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and current status of therapeutic intervention indicates that still a specific drug or vaccine needs to come up for the effective treatment of the pandemic COVID-19. It is observed that various aspects of social life, economic status, and healthcare systems are majorly affected by this pandemic.

Conclusion: It is concluded that the outbreak of COVID-19 has severely affected each and every field, such as social, scientific, industrial, transport, and medical sectors. Irrespective of tremendous efforts globally, few vaccines are now available for the prevention of the disease. Specific drug is not available publicly for the treatment of COVID-19. Prevention of air pollution that can aggravate COVID-19 has been suggested. Therefore, as of now, social distancing and sanitization practices are the only options available for the prevention of the disease for many.

Keywords: COVID-19; Epidemiology; SARS-COV-2; Socioeconomic impacts; Therapeutics; Vaccine development.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aged
COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19*
Disease Outbreaks
Humans
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines