The initial instance of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was observed in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, China. Subsequently, the virus disseminated expeditiously across the globe, precipitating the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of December 17, 2023, the protracted pandemic has documented an excess of 772.84 million confirmed cases and 6.98 million fatalities, following the reports disseminated by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Globally, 67% of the total population was vaccinated with a complete primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine and 32% has been vaccinated with at least one booster dose, culminating in the administration of 13.5 billion doses.

The WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recognized a multitude of variants, including variants of concern (VOCs) designated according to their time of emergence as alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. The most recent additions are the Omicron variant parent lineages including BA.1 and many other lineages that have acquired the F456L mutation.

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