Basic Reproduction Number (R naught) and Case Fatality Rate of COVID-19: A Conceptual Approach

Pandemics are an exceptional form of disaster which wreak havoc on physical, psychological, social and fiscal well-being of the entire populace In the past decade alone, outbreaks of infectious diseases like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), swine flu, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola and the Zika virus resulted in significant upheaval, globally Listing the key events in a time frame is of utmost importance in understanding the progression of the pandemic so as to map the natural history and plan targeted interventions Research into dynamics of disease transmission and severity are important to public health preparedness In the present communication, evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and public health concepts such as R naught (R-0) and Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with other recent epidemics of coronaviruses have been summarised, along with presumable scenarios relevant to the pandemic in an attempt to disseminate succinct, consolidated, uncomplicated, specific and scientifically accurate information