Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome 
coronavirus 2, was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province, 
China. It is now known as a pandemic and a global crisis due to rapid 
human-to-human transmission with the vast expansion that has affected almost all 
countries. The primary source of the disease is still unknown, but it is 
possible that the virus was transmitted through bat to an intermediate host and 
then to humans. The main and early symptoms of COVID-19 infection are fatigue, 
fever, dry cough, myalgia, and dyspnea. The incubation period of the disease is 
about 2-14 days, which is one of the important parameters for planning to 
prevent disease outbreak. PT-polymerase chain reaction test is used to diagnose 
the disease; chest computed tomography scan, chest X-ray, blood tests, and 
symptoms are also very helpful in diagnosing the disease. There is a strong 
emphasis on controlling infections and hand hygiene to prevent the transmission 
of the disease. There is not enough knowledge about this disease yet, and there 
are no specific vaccines or medications available to prevent and treat this 
disease. The current review study uses articles indexed on databases of Embase, 
Elsevier, PubMed, and World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, and keywords of coronavirus, COVID-19, acute respiratory 
distress syndrome and China.