Novel COVID-19 is the most considerable health threat the humanity has faced in decades, with global impact also in the social and economic scopes. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 involves an unprecedented exciting scientific challenge that has focused all efforts on defeating the new coronavirus. Research results are continuously increasing and updating knowledge about the virus and the disease, and understanding the virus characteristics proves essential in order to identify and attack its weak points, as well as uncovering the host reactions to search for treatments. Through this survey, we will offer the reader a thorough exposition on how SARS-CoV-2 infects and affects the human organism, the wide set of risk factors that impact the susceptibility to and the course of the disease, related biomarkers, and potential drugs and treatments against the virus-host entry, the infection and its consequences. What has been learned over one and a half year is expected to help in facing future global health threats.

新型 COVID-19 是人类几十年来面临的最严重的健康威胁，其社会和经济范围也具有全球影响。此外，SARS-CoV-2 涉及前所未有的激动人心的科学挑战，其所有努力都集中在击败新型冠状病毒上。研究结果不断增加和更新有关病毒和疾病的知识，了解病毒特征对于识别和攻击其弱点以及揭示宿主反应以寻找治疗方法至关重要。通过本次调查，我们将向读者全面阐述 SARS-CoV-2 如何感染和影响人体组织、影响疾病易感性和病程的广泛风险因素、相关生物标志物、以及针对病毒宿主进入、感染及其后果的潜在药物和治疗方法。一年半以来所学到的知识预计将有助于应对未来的全球健康威胁。