Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, recoveries, and deaths worldwide as of Jan. 15, 2021

As of January 15, 2021, there were over 93.5 million global cases of COVID-19. Almost 67 million people had recovered from the disease, while there had been over 2 million deaths. The United States, Brazil, and India have been among the countries hardest hit by the pandemic.

The various types of human coronavirus

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the seventh known coronavirus to infect humans; its emergence makes it the third in recent years to cause widespread infectious disease, following the viruses responsible for SARS and MERS. Common human coronaviruses typically cause mild symptoms such as a cough or a cold, but the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has led to more severe respiratory illnesses and deaths worldwide.

Is there a cure for this new coronavirus?

There are currently no dedicated treatments for COVID-19. While clinical studies take place to develop new drugs, pharmaceutical companies and research groups are experimenting to see if older ones can be repurposed. During the SARS and MERS outbreaks, work began on investigational vaccines, and this information is proving valuable in the race to find a treatment for COVID-19. The basic biology of the virus is well understood, making it possible to decide which current drugs have a chance of success.