ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) initially emerged in Wuhan (South China), where many patients were infected due to their contact history with the Wuhan Seafood Wholesale Market. The actual mechanism used by SARS-CoV-2 to cause infection is still not clear. Overall 112 million cases, a 2.48 million death toll, and 63.2 million recovery cases have been registered in 217 nations worldwide as of February 24, 2021. Body ache, fever, fatigue, nausea, respiratory problems, and other general symptoms have been observed among infected people. Severe infection can lead to multiple organ failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. Various potential therapeutics, life support systems, personal protective equipment, and sanitization facilities are available and under development for COVID-19. Recent data showed that there are almost 60 vaccines under clinical trials with over 200 in various stages of clinical development. However, the lack of understanding related to the potential targets of the virus as well as host cells has presented a challenge in the development of therapeutics. This chapter discusses the different phases of COVID-19 with a main focus on epidemiology, clinical manifestations, treatment strategies, and preventive measures. This chapter also aims to discuss various biotechnological interventions against COVID-19.
