Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), previously known by the provisional name 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. It causes the respiratory illness known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 is contagious in humans, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The strain was first discovered in Wuhan, China, so it is sometimes referred to as the "Wuhan virus" or "Wuhan coronavirus". Because the WHO discourages the use of names based upon locations and to avoid confusion with the disease SARS, it sometimes refers to SARS-CoV-2 as "the COVID-19 virus" in public health communications. The general public often call both SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes "coronavirus", but scientists typically use more precise terms.