The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease - 2019 (COVID) has produced hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of infected people worldwide, with the consequent collapse of health systems. SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing COVID-19, is a pathogen with a zoonotic origin. The objective of this article is to highlight the importance of being alert to zoonoses, with special reference to COVID-19. First, the general chronology of the COVID-19 pandemic is described, then the characteristics of the coronaviruses are described in detail, especially regarding those of SARS-CoV-2. Subsequently, the One Health concept is highlighted as an appropriate approach to face this zoonosis and other related ones. Furthermore, the importance of unequivocally identifying the SARS-CoV-2 reservoir and intermediate animals as part of the knowledge necessary to develop treatments and a vaccine for COVID-19 and re...

The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease - 2019 (COVID) has produced hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of infected people worldwide, with the consequent collapse of health systems. SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing COVID-19, is a pathogen with a zoonotic origin. The objective of this article is to highlight the importance of being alert to zoonoses, with special reference to COVID-19. First, the general chronology of the COVID-19 pandemic is described, then the characteristics of the coronaviruses are described in detail, especially regarding those of SARS-CoV-2. Subsequently, the One Health concept is highlighted as an appropriate approach to face this zoonosis and other related ones. Furthermore, the importance of unequivocally identifying the SARS-CoV-2 reservoir and intermediate animals as part of the knowledge necessary to develop treatments and a vaccine for COVID-19 and re...