Environmental impacts on the transmission and evolution of COVID-19 combing the knowledge of pathogenic respiratory coronaviruses

Abstract The emergence of a novel coronavirus named by SARS-CoV-2 during December, 2019, has caused the global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is officially announced to be a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The increasing burden from this pandemic is seriously affecting everyone’s life, and threating the global public health. Understanding the transmission, survival, and evolution of the virus in the environment will assist in the prevention, control, treatment and eradication of its infection. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the environmental impacts on the transmission and evolution of SARS-CoV-2, based on briefly introducing this respiratory virus. Future research objectives for the prevention and control of these contagious viruses and their related diseases are highlighted from the perspective of environmental science. This review should be of great help to prevent and control the epidemics caused by emerging respiratory coronaviruses (CoVs). Summary: More knowledge on the transmission and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in the environment is urgently needed.