Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): Why is it so lethal?

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been the most dreadful mass public health threat for more than a year. An array of clinical trials with repurposed and repositioned drugs as well as with the candidate vaccines are being conducted with the aim of mitigation of COVID-19. While a few antiviral drugs and several candidate vaccines showed satisfactory results in the clinical trials, the side effects after vaccination and the evolution of new SARS-CoV-2 variants appear as a major challenge for the scientists. Present review focused on the possible reasons behind the lethality of SARS-CoV-2.