| Table 1. COVID-19 and previous pandemics caused by coronaviruses (Wu & McGoogan, 2020; WHO, 2003; 2019; 2020b). | |||
| Disease | COVID-19 | SARS | MERS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virus | Betacoronavirus SARS-COV-2 | Betacoronavirus SARS-COV-1 | Betacoronavirus MERS-COV |
| Origin | Whuan, China | Guandong, China | Saudi Arabia |
| Onset | December 2019 - Currently | 2002 - July 2003 | June 2012 -still active |
| Spread | 194 countries | 29 countries | 27 countries |
| Cases | 20,162,474 reported | 8,422 reported | 2,494 reported |
| Deaths | 737,417 | 916 | 858 |
| Reproductive no. | ≈3 | ≈2-3 | ≈1 |
| Age (range) | 59 (10-89) years | 40 (1-91) years | 50 (1-94) years |
| Sex Ratio (M:F) | 56:44 | 43:57 | 64.5:35.5 |
| Mortality | Currently estimated 2.3% | 9.6% | 35-40% |