The deadly virus has now infected 800,000 people worldwide, racking up more than 38,000 deaths as the US, Italy and Spain struggle to deal with the huge influx in numbers. Coronaviruses are known to jump from animals to humans and COVID-19 is believed to have originated in Wuhan at a seafood market where wild animals including birds, bats and snakes were traded illegally. The first case of the virus is thought to have been recorded in Wuhan as early as December 1, but China did not report the outbreak to the World Health Organisation (WHO) until December 31.