This expert update on the SARS-CoV2 coronavirus comes just six weeks after we asked two virologists to give us an expert statement on the then current status of the novel coronavirus outbreak, which was originating in Wuhan, China. With the World Health Organization (WHO) now reporting nearly 180,000 confirmed cases, over 7000 recorded deaths, and cases in 159 countries, areas or territories (as of 17 March), it is safe to say that the COVID-19 outbreak has developed rather significantly since then.

This could be the hardest public health battle of recent times, but humanity is poised to eventually win.”

We asked Alfredo Garzino-Demo (Twitter: @MicroviroB), who helped us draft the first expert statement, to give us an update on what more has been learned about the SARS-CoV2 virus, and the disease COVID-19:

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Update 18 March 2020 – Our translation volunteer team have produced versions of this expert update in:

• Italian – Aggiornamento di esperti sul coronavirus SARS-CoV2 responsabile dell’epidemia di COVID-19
• Spanish – Actualización de expertos en el coronavirus SARS-CoV2 causante del brote COVID-19
• German – Aktualisierte Experteneinschätzung zum SARS-CoV2 Coronavirus, das den COVID-19 Ausbruch verursacht
• Czech – Pohled odborníků na koronavirus SARS-CoV2 způsobující pandemii COVID-19
• Lithuanian –  Naujausios ekspertų žinios apie SARS-CoV2 koronavirusą sukėlusį COVID-19 ligos protrūkį
• Serbian – Najnovije informacije stručnjaka o SARS-CoV2 koronavirusu koji uzrokuje epidemiju COVID-19
• Portuguese – Atualização de especialistas sobre o coronavírus SARS-CoV2 que causa a pandemia de COVID-19
• French – Mise à jour par des experts sur le SARS-CoV2 – coronavirus en cause de l’épidémie COVID-19
• Hebrew – עדכון מומחים- נגיף הקורונה