What Is a Coronavirus?

A coronavirus comes from a family of viruses that can infect both humans and animals. The first human coronavirus popped up in the mid-1960s. To date, there are seven different coronaviruses that can infect people.

It is believed that the newest (2019) coronavirus (known as COVID-19) was first detected in China in late December 2019.

You may also hear the virus referred to as "Novel Coronavirus" because:

  • Novel = New (never been seen before).
  • Corona = Crown (named for the crown-like spikes on the virus).

Other coronaviruses you may have heard of include:

  • SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and
  • MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome).
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