COVID-19

\ ˈkō-vid-nīn-ˈtēn

Definition of COVID-19

: a mild to severe respiratory illness that is caused by a coronavirus (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 of the genus Betacoronavirus), is transmitted chiefly by contact with infectious material (such as respiratory droplets), and is characterized especially by fever, cough, and shortness of breath and may progress to pneumonia and respiratory failure

Note: COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019.

An infectious and deadly coronavirus that has killed thousands in China has spread to at least 44 countries, stirring fears that COVID-19 may soon become a pandemic.— Darryl Coote As the number of confirmed global cases of COVID-19 continues to climb, analysts are beginning to forecast that the impact of the epidemic will stretch into the second quarter of 2020, which will likely impact the earnings of companies …— Georgia Williams

— called also coronavirus disease 2019

— see sars-cov-2