Covid-19, also known as coronavirus disease 2019, is a highly infectious respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. First identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019, Covid-19 has rapidly spread throughout the world, leading to a global pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020. The symptoms of Covid-19 range from mild to severe and include fever, cough, fatigue, muscle aches, loss of taste or smell, and difficulty breathing.
The virus is primarily spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks, or breathes. Preventive measures such as wearing masks, physical distancing, and regular hand washing are effective in mitigating the spread of Covid-19. Vaccines are also available to provide immunity against the virus. However, the new variants of the virus are challenging the efficacy of the vaccines and causing concerns about the resurgence of the disease.