•  Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) represents global public health concern and WHO declares public health emergency.
•  The phylogenetic analysis revealed that COVID-19 is potentially a zoonotic virus.
•  Special attention is necessary to protect or reduce transmission in susceptible populations.
•  COVID-19 develop intestinal symptoms like diarrhea, while low percentage of MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV patients had diarrhea.
•  Identification of novel chemotherapeutic drugs for treating COVID-19 infections is urgently warranted.