Official names have been declared for the infection answerable for COVID-19 (recently known as “2019 novel coronavirus”) and the illness it causes. The official names are:
Disease
coronavirus Disease
(COVID-19)
Virus
serious intense respiratory disorder coronavirus 2
(SARS-CoV-2)
Why do the virus and the disease have different names?
Infections, and the maladies they cause, frequently have various names. For instance, HIV is the infection that causes Helps. Individuals regularly know the name of an ailment, for example, measles, however not the name of the infection that causes it (rubeola).
There are various procedures, and purposes, for naming infections and maladies.
Infections are named dependent on their hereditary structure to encourage the advancement of analytic tests, immunizations and meds. Virologists and the more extensive academic network accomplish this work, so infections are named by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).
Infections are named to empower conversation on malady counteraction, spread, transmissibility, seriousness and treatment. Human ailment readiness and reaction is WHO’s job, so infections are authoritatively named by WHO in the Global Grouping of Sicknesses (ICD).
ICTV declared “extreme intense respiratory disorder coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)” as the name of the new infection on 11 February 2020. This name was picked in light of the fact that the infection is hereditarily identified with the coronavirus answerable for the SARS episode of 2003. While related, the two infections are unique.
WHO declared “COVID-19” as the name of this new illness on 11 February 2020, after rules recently created with the World Association for Creature Wellbeing (OIE) and the Nourishment and Agribusiness Association of the Unified Countries (FAO)
- WHO Director-General’s remarks at the media on 11 February 2020
- WHO Situation Report on 11 February 2020
WHO and ICTV were in correspondence about the naming of both the infection and the sickness.
What name does WHO use for the virus?
From a hazard interchanges point of view, utilizing the name SARS can have unintended outcomes as far as making superfluous dread for certain populaces, particularly in Asia which was most exceedingly terrible influenced by the SARS episode in 2003.
Consequently and others, WHO has started alluding to the infection as “the infection answerable for COVID-19” or “the COVID-19 infection” when speaking with the general population. Neither of these assignments are proposed as substitutes for the official name of the infection as concurred by the ICTV.
Material distributed before the infection was authoritatively named won’t be refreshed except if fundamental so as to stay away from disarray.
More information:
- How are new infectious diseases named?
- More about coronavirus disease (COVID-2019)
- WHO press briefings on the coronavirus disease (COVID-2019)
- International classification of diseases
- International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses
