From quarantines throughout the world’s cities and states to infections aboard dream cruise ships and cancellations of major international events, the global public health emergency caused by the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus has unfolded rapidly and dramatically across the globe. .

The virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, emerged in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019 and, since then, has spread unstoppably around the world, reaching almost 73 million infections out of the nearly 7.7 billion people. that, according to the United Nations, coexist on Earth.

This is how the COVID-19 of 2020 took over:

Dec 31, 2019

China notifies the World Health Organization about a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan.

January 9, 2020

The WHO announces that a new coronavirus is the cause of said pneumonia.

January 10

Scientists release the complete genetic blueprint of the virus.

January 13th

Thailand reports the first known new coronavirus infection outside of China. In a week, Japan and South Korea also report different cases.

January 21st

The first US infection was in Washington state. Scientists announce that the virus can be transmitted from person to person.

January 23

Wuhan closes to stop the spread of the virus.

January 24th

France reports the first cases in Europe.

January 25

Australia announces its first case of coronavirus.

January 30th

Scientists say that an infected person spreads the virus before showing symptoms.

January 31

Spain announces its first positive case of coronavirus that was admitted to the La Gomera hospital.

February 3rd

The Diamond Princess cruise ship remains under quarantine in Japan. Finally, 712 of the 3,711 people on board tested positive.

February 5th

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases a faulty COVID-19 diagnostic test, delaying the country’s ability to widely detect the virus.

February 11th

Virologists call the virus “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,” or SARS-CoV-2, because it is related to the virus that caused the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is called “COVID-19”.

February 14th

Egypt reports the first case from Africa.

26 of February

Brazil reports the first case from South America.

March 9

Italy closes its borders. Ten days later, deaths from COVID-19 in the country exceed 3,400, surpassing the death toll in China.

March 10th

After a choir in Washington state gathered to practice, more than 80% of those in attendance became infected, suggesting airborne transmission of the virus.

March 11th

WHO declares the outbreak to be a pandemic. The virus has spread to at least 114 countries, killed more than 4,000 people and infected nearly 120,000.

March 16

COVID-19 vaccine safety testing begins in both the United States and China.

March 17

Contrary to conspiracy theories, one study confirms that the virus was not manufactured or released from a laboratory. Further research suggests that a bat is the most likely source.

March 27th

As the number of cases in the United States surpasses 100,000, the United States becomes the new epicenter of the pandemic.

28th March

The US Food and Drug Administration grants an emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, to treat some hospitalized patients.

April 2

Global cases reach one million. More than 53,000 people have died.

April 3

With growing evidence that the virus can be spread through the air and that asymptomatic people are contagious, the CDC recommends that people cover their faces in public.

28th of April

Cases in the United States reach one million.

May 1

The FDA grants an emergency use authorization for the antiviral drug remdesivir for seriously ill patients after preliminary findings suggest the drug may shorten hospital stays.

may 14

The CDC issues an advisory about cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children who test positive for the virus.

June, 15

The FDA revokes the emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine after multiple studies show no benefit.

June 16

Dexamethasone, a steroid, is the first drug to reduce COVID-19 deaths among people sick enough to need respiratory support.

June 25th

China approves a vaccine for military use, before final safety and efficacy tests are completed.

June 28th

Less than six months after the name of the disease, more than 10 million people worldwide have been infected with the virus and more than 500,000 have died.

July 10th

Gilead Sciences, the maker of remdesivir, claims the drug reduces the risk of death from COVID-19.

July 27th

Pfizer and Moderna begin recruiting tens of thousands of volunteers for late-phase clinical trials of their vaccines.

August 11

Russian President Vladimir Putin announces that a vaccine called Sputnik V will be available to the general public, even though all phases of testing have not yet been completed.

August 23rd

The FDA grants an emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma to treat hospitalized patients, despite the lack of clinical trials evaluating whether blood from recovered patients actually helps fight the disease.

August 25th

The first report of a person being reinfected with the virus raises concerns about the duration of immunity.

September 28

More than 1 million people have died from COVID-19; more than 40% of deaths have occurred in the United States, Brazil and India.

October 2nd

US President Donald Trump tweets that he is infected, becoming the latest in a string of world leaders to contract COVID-19. He is subsequently hospitalized and receives remdesivir, dexamethasone, and an experimental antibody treatment.

October 22

Remdesivir becomes the first drug to gain full FDA approval to treat COVID-19. However, a week earlier, a WHO study found that the drug did not reduce deaths from COVID-19, countering the drug maker’s earlier claim.

November 9

Based on preliminary data, Pfizer says its vaccine appears to be 90% effective in preventing people from getting sick from the coronavirus. Subsequent findings suggest 95% effectiveness.

Nov. 16

Moderna says its vaccine is 95% effective.

November 20

Pfizer is seeking emergency FDA approval for its vaccine. Ten days later, Moderna requests the same.

November 23

AstraZeneca reports that its vaccine is 62 to 90% effective.

December 2nd

The UK authorizes the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use.

December 10

An advisory committee recommends that the FDA grant emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

December 14th

The Spanish Ministry of Health announces that vaccines will begin to be administered as of January 4, 2021. “The vaccine is safe and saves lives,” says Salvador Illa, Minister of Health.