Combating Outbreak of nCoV-19: Prevention Strategies, Possible Medication and Its Predominance in Pakistan

Abstract

The appearance of a novel coronavirus (nCoV-2019) is a pandemic threat which has been declared an international public health emergency. The number of infected people went out from China to other countries has increased since the discovery of the virus in late December 2019, and the epidemiological picture has changed daily. The nCoV-2019 belongs to Genera Beta coronavirus which also contains SARS and MERS i.e. (Middle East respiratory syndrome). According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the first case reported in Pakistan was on 26 February 2020 and till 22 May 2020, the total number of confirmed cases in Pakistan are 52,013 with 16,012 recoveries and 1087 deaths. No medicine or vaccine for human coronaviruses has, sadly, yet been approved. However, it can take months to years to create new approaches. Other strategies for managing or preventing emerging nCoV-2019 infections can be envisaged including vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, oligonucleotide- treatment, peptides, interferon treatment and medication with low molecular weight molecules. In the face of the severity of the nCoV-2019 outbreak, we concentrate on the potential for recycling existing licensed or evolving antiviral agents for control of infections that are caused by different viruses especially influenza viruses i.e. SARS and MERS. Therefore, it is urgently important to identify appropriate antiviral agents to combat the outbreak of nCoV-19.