The recent global pause during COVID-19 pandemic was caused due to:Select the correct answer from the code given below:

1. A

   SARS-CoV-1

   Option (a) claims SARS-CoV-1 caused the recent global pause. However, SARS-CoV-1 was responsible for the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak, not the 2019 pandemic.

2. B

   H5N1

   Option (b) claims H5N1 caused the global pause. H5N1 is a strain of avian influenza virus and is incorrect for this context.

3. C

   SARS-CoV-2

   Option (c) claims SARS-CoV-2 was the cause of the pandemic. This is the correct official key because SARS-CoV-2 is the specific novel coronavirus identified as the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the recent global pause.

4. D

   MERS-CoV-2

   Option (d) claims MERS-CoV-2 caused the pandemic. MERS-CoV is associated with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, making this option factually inaccurate.

Summary. Official key is (c) because SARS-CoV-2 is the specific pathogen responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Option (a) refers to the earlier 2002 SARS virus. Option (b) names the avian influenza strain, and option (d) incorrectly names a Middle East respiratory syndrome variant. Therefore, only option (c) correctly identifies the virus behind the recent global pause.