WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A RAPID REVIEW OF CURRENT LITERATURE

The outbreak of the novel SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 has remained a serious public health challenge. The high infectivity and mortalities associated with SAS-CoV-2 infections compared to other known viruses of the same group have necessitated the introduction of various prevention guidelines which may have the potential of affecting all spheres of human life. Efforts to better understand the new virus, prevent the spread and reduce its impacts on humans, have spurred very rapid scientific research and publications among experts. The volume of these scientific publications and the rate at which new knowledge is evolving may pose some difficulties for people to stay abreast with the trend of these discoveries. This rapid article review addressed this at this critical time, and keep the readers, researchers, and policymakers updated on the rapidly emerging research findings. Although the world is still struggling with the fourth wave and newly emerging variants, efforts have started yielding significant results in reducing community transmission and mortalities associated with COVID-19 infection