Isifo seCoronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) yisifo esitholakala lapho umuntu onegciwane le-coronavirus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) ethelela abanye abantu. Umuntu, noma ngokuthinta izindawo ezihlangene negciwane bese uthinta amehlo, ikhala noma umlomo. Imvamisa, leli gciwane lisakazeka ngamaconsi okuphefumula adalwa lapho umuntu onegciwane ekhwehlela noma ethimula. Noma ngubani osondele ngokwanele (ngaphansi kwamamitha ayi-1,8) kumuntu othophayo noma okhophayo makhulu angatheleleka ngegciwane. Ngenye indlela umuntu angangenwa yileli gciwane ngokuthinta indawo ethelelekile bese ethinta amehlo akho, izindlebe noma ikhala ngaphandle kokubulala amagciwane izandla zakho. Lesi sifo saqala ukukhonjwa eWuhan, inhloko-dolobha yesifundazwe saseHubei eChina, ngasekupheleni kuka-2019. Kusukela lapho, lesi sifo sisakazekele emhlabeni wonke. Ngomhlaka 11 Mashi 2020, i-World Health Organisation yamemezela lesi sifo njengesifo. Ubhubhane yisifo esisakaze ezingxenyeni ezinkulu zomhlaba noma emhlabeni wonke. Amazwe athinteke kakhulu yileli gciwane athole amazinga okufa aphezulu nengcindezi enkulu ezinhlelweni zawo zezempilo. Umqondisi jikelele wenhlangano ebhekele ezempilo emhlabeni jikelele, uDkt Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, waveza ukuthi, "Lesi akusona isimo sezempilo esidlangalaleni nje, kunenkinga ezothinta yonke imikhakha - ngakho-ke wonke umkhakha nawo wonke umuntu kumele abambe iqhaza ekulweni.”