India, March 5 -- Years of research on SARS, MERS diseases have not helped much in dealing with COVID-19

When reports of the novel coronavirus - now called COVID-19 - outbreak hit global press in January 2020, it took the world by surprise. What remained under the radar was how MERS - Middle East Respiratory Syndrome - caused by a former avatar of the deadly virus was still killing people seven years after its debut.

MERS and SARS - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - both caused by forms of coronavirus have been among the major healthcare challenges the world has faced in the new millenium.

SARS infected 8,096 people across 30 countries between November 1, 2002 and July 31, 2003, killing 774. But no outbreak has been reported since th...