What is the name of the virus that causes COVID-19?

The virus that causes COVID-19 is called SARS-CoV-2, short for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. COVID-19 is the disease; SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that produces it.

The virus was first identified after an outbreak recognized in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses adopted the name SARS-CoV-2 on February 11, 2020. The name reflects its relationship to SARS-CoV-1, the coronavirus responsible for the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak, although the two viruses are distinct.

SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped coronavirus with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome. Its spike protein binds to ACE2 receptors on susceptible human cells, helping the virus enter them. The familiar “corona” description comes from the crown-like arrangement of spike proteins around the particle.

Ebola, H1N1, and MERS-CoV are different viruses. H1N1 is an influenza A subtype, Ebola viruses cause Ebola disease, and MERS-CoV causes Middle East respiratory syndrome. Variants such as Alpha, Delta, and Omicron are lineages of SARS-CoV-2, not separate names for the original disease-causing virus.