The evolving pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus constitutes a major global public health problem. International experience has demonstrated that full understanding of disease outbreaks caused by viral infections depends largely on a thorough knowledge of the biological characteristics of viruses and their hosts (human) and, more specifically, the functioning of, and interactions between, their genomes. Viruses propagate in extremely high rates in human cells and, as a result, accumulate mutations, most of which inactivate, or have no effect on, the virus. In some cases, however, a mutation can increase infectivity or cell toxicity of the virus, with harmful effects, not only for the carrier acquiring the mutation but primarily for the persons subsequently contaminated by this carrier.