history of coronavirus history of coronavirus the history of coronaviruses is an account of the discovery of the diseases caused by coronaviruses and the diseases they cause. it starts with the first report of a new type of upper-respiratory tract disease among chickens in north dakota, u.s., in 1931. the causative agent was identified as a virus in 1933. by 1936, the disease and the virus were recognised as unique from other viral disease. they became known as infectious bronchitis virus (ibv), but later officially renamed as avian coronavirus. coronaviruses types alphacoronavirus betacoronavirus gammacoronavirus deltacoronavirus diseases common cold sars mers covid-19 vaccines covid-19 vaccine epidemics and pandemics sars (2002–2004) mers 2012 2015 2018 covid-19 (2019-present)