SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by the numbers

Understand

The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a harsh reminder of the fact that, whether in a single human host or a wave of infection across continents, viral dynamics is often a story about the numbers.

• In this snapshot, our aim is to provide a one-stop, curated graphical source for the key numbers that help us understand the virus driving our current global crisis.
• The discussion is framed around two broad themes: 1) the biology of the virus itself and 2) the characteristics of the infection of a single human host.
• Our one-page summary provides the key numbers pertaining to SARS-CoV-2, based mostly on peer-reviewed literature.