Wikipedia:WikiProject COVID-19/Translation Task Force/COVID-19 pandemic (short)

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019, and was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020. As of 24 March, more than 400,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in more than 190 countries and territories, resulting in more than 17,000 deaths and more than 100,000 recoveries.

The virus is typically spread from one person to another via respiratory droplets produced during coughing. It is most contagious when people are symptomatic, although spread may be possible before symptoms appear. The time between exposure and symptom onset is typically around five days, but may range from two to fourteen days. Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Complications may include pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. As of March 2020, no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment is available for this disease. Primary treatment is symptomatic and supportive therapy. Recommended preventive measures include hand washing, covering the mouth when coughing, maintaining distance from other people, and monitoring and self-isolation for people who suspect they are infected.

Efforts to prevent the virus spreading include travel restrictions, quarantines, curfews, event postponements and cancellations, and facility closures. These include a quarantine of Hubei (the epicenter of the disease), nationwide quarantines in Europe, curfew measures elsewhere in China and other countries, various border closures or incoming passenger restrictions, screening at airports and train stations, and travel advisories regarding regions with community transmission. Schools and universities have closed either on a nationwide or local basis in more than 124 countries, affecting more than 1.2 billion students.

The pandemic has led to global socioeconomic disruption, the postponement or cancellation of sporting, religious, and cultural events, and widespread fears of supply shortages which have spurred panic buying. Misinformation and conspiracy theories about the virus have spread online, and there have been incidents of xenophobia and racism against Chinese and other East or Southeast Asian people. Due to the coronavirus outbreak's impact on travel and industry, many regions experienced a drop in air pollution. Tourism was affected due to travel bans, closing of public places including travel attractions, and advise of governments against any travel all over the world.