Pandemic
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
7.0M
estimated deaths
Period
2019–Ongoing
Origin
China (Wuhan)
Death range
7.0M–20.0M
Infected
770.0M
Overview
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It spread globally within months, prompting the first worldwide pandemic declaration since 1918. The pandemic caused unprecedented disruption — global lockdowns, economic collapse, and a race to develop vaccines in record time. Over 770 million confirmed cases and at least 7 million official deaths (with excess mortality estimates suggesting 15–20 million).
Historical Timeline
2019First outbreak — Wuhan
2020WHO declares pandemic (March)
2021Delta variant
2022Omicron variant
2023WHO ends global emergency
Symptoms
Fever and chills
Cough and shortness of breath
Loss of taste/smell
Fatigue
Long COVID (chronic symptoms)
Affected Regions
Wuhan, China
Italy (early epicentre)
USA
Brazil
India
Russia
France
UK
Africa
Sources & References
Compare COVID-19 with other events
Open Comparison Tool