The chief of the WHO explained that `` co '' means Corona , `` vi '' means 'virus ' , and `` d '' means disease , hence the appellation COVID-19 .
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said `` co '' stands for `` corona '' , `` vi '' for `` virus '' and `` d '' for `` disease '' , while `` 19 '' was for the year , as the outbreak was first identified on 30 December 2019 .
Coronavirus disease 2019