The virus, known as COVID-19 so as to differentiate it from other types of coronaviruses, first appeared in the Chinese region of Wuhan and has since spread rapidly across the globe.
It is characterised by common symptoms of fever, dry cough and tiredness, although having these coronavirus symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has contracted COVID-19, this needs to be confirmed by getting tested.
The good news is that most people (around 80%) recover from the virus at home, however others may well need extra medical attention if their coronavirus symptoms worsen.