Emerging or re-emerging in the world today/fact sheet
The first recorded cases of the disease were in 1990, when two women died from an unknown respiratory illness in the United States. The virus was later identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and it quickly spread across the world, causing a pandemic. By March 2020, more than 100 countries had reported cases of COVID-19.
COVID-19 has caused massive disruption to global economies; businesses have closed and millions have lost their jobs due to lockdowns and other restrictions implemented by governments as part of strategies to contain its spread. In addition to economic loss, communities around the world have experienced tragic deaths from this virus that could have been avoided with swift action. Furthermore, there are still many unknowns about the long term effects of this novel virus on human health, both physically and mentally.