History of Coronavirus: Do we know exactly what this is?

Do you remember that time that completely changed our lives, that suddenly stopped the whole world? Yes, I'm talking about the COVID-19 pandemic. This word "corona" has now become a part of our lives. But what exactly is this coronavirus ? Is it something that suddenly came into the world? Or does it have a history? Today we will talk about this very simply, in a way that you can understand.

What exactly is this coronavirus family?

Many people think that coronavirus is just one virus. But that's not the truth. Coronavirus is a collection of viruses that belong to the same family. Just as there are different people in our families, there are different types of viruses in this coronavirus family. Some viruses in this family cause minor illnesses like the common cold that we get. There are other viruses that only infect animals like bats, camels, and cows. So, it is from this large family that the virus that causes COVID-19, the virus called SARS-CoV-2 , emerged. Scientists first identified a coronavirus that could infect humans in 1965. It caused the common cold. Later, more types of viruses like this were discovered. When viewed under a microscope, these viruses have spikes on their surface that look like a crown, so they were named "corona," based on a Latin word that means "crown."

Major coronaviruses that preceded COVID-19

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, two major coronaviruses that caused serious illnesses in humans were spreading around the world. Let's learn a little about them. Both of these viruses are believed to have first jumped to humans from animals (specifically bats).

How did the COVID-19 story begin?

Now let's move on to the biggest health challenge of our time, COVID-19. In late 2019, several cases of pneumonia with no known cause were reported in the city of Wuhan, China. They had symptoms such as fever and difficulty breathing. At first, it was thought that it started in a "wet market" in Wuhan. This is a place where fresh vegetables and fruits were sold, as well as meat from various animals. But after a while, it was discovered that this disease was also spreading to people who had no connection to that market. This means that the virus jumped from an animal to a human, and then from human to human, very quickly.

What are the opinions about the origin of COVID-19?

There is still no 100% certainty about how the COVID-19 virus originated. However, there are two main theories: 1. Animal-to-human transmission: Like SARS and MERS, the virus is believed to have originated naturally in an animal (most likely a bat) and then spread to humans through an intermediary animal. 2. Laboratory transmission: A virus that was being studied in a laboratory for some research was accidentally released. There is not enough evidence to fully prove or disprove either of these theories. However, most intelligence reports suggest that it was not genetically engineered or created as a biological weapon .

Why is this called COVID-19?

This is also a problem for many people.

• The name of the virus: SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2). This name was given because it is genetically very similar to the SARS virus that emerged in 2002. Viruses are named according to their genetic structure.
• The name of the disease: COVID-19. This is an acronym. CO rona VI rus D isease of 20 19 . That means the coronavirus disease identified in 2019.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the COVID-19 situation a pandemic . It goes without saying how much our lives have changed since then.

What lessons should we learn?

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us many things. The most important of them is that a pandemic is not just a health issue, but a social, economic, and psychological issue. We also learned how valuable science and accurate information are. If you have any doubts about a symptom, the best thing to do is to consult your doctor or physician instead of believing everything you find on the internet. They will give you the right guidance. Coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, virus history, SARS, MERS