COVID-19 as a Global Health Crisis

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the underlying cause of a cluster of unusual respiratory illnesses in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. The crown-like cluster of spike-shaped glycoproteins that make up the outer membrane of SARS-CoV-2 protects the virus’s single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome. Infection with COVID-19 can cause a wide range of symptoms and morbidity, depending on factors like a person’s genetics, race, age, and geographic location. COVID-19 pathophysiology involves vascular leaks that lead to sepsis, thrombosis, hypercoagulation, and, in the worst cases, the loss of lung epithelial cells. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and ultimately pulmonary fibrosis result from these incidents in patients. COVID-19 risk factors include cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, and diabetes, all of which are common in the United States. COVID-19 infects these individuals because of their heightened expression of the ACE2 receptor. Virus envelope proteins bind to ACE2 receptors and degrade them, preventing the enzyme from doing its job. The COVID-19 infection causes an imbalance in ACE2, and the subsequent cytokine storm exacerbates the host’s comorbidities. This article discusses COVID-19 infection, including its genetics, pathogenesis, and potential treatments, as well as its secondary complications, such as ARDS and pulmonary fibrosis. Vaccines and other cutting-edge treatment modalities can be developed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the severity of the disease if the processes of infection can be better understood.