Coronavirus disease (COVID–19) is caused by SARS–COV2 and is the causative agent of a potentially lethal disease which is of great concern for global public health. It is proposed that this is possibly the zoonotic origin of COVID–19 based on the large number of infected people who were exposed to the wet animal market in Wuhan City, China. Transmission of COVID–19 infection from one person to another resulted in the isolation of patients who were subsequently given a variety of treatments. To monitor the current outbreak, robust steps have been placed in place to reduce the transmission of COVID–19 from person to person. Special attention and efforts should be given to preventing or reducing transmission in vulnerable populations, including infants, health care providers and the elderly. In this review we highlight the origin, transmission and possible treatments of this heinous infection which has become a global threat.