RESUMO
The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused great havoc and affected many parts of the world. It has imposed a great challenge to the medical and health fraternity with its ability to continue mutating and increasing the transmission rate. Some challenges include the availability of current knowledge of active drugs against the virus, mode of delivery of the medicaments, its diagnosis, which are relatively limited and do not suffice for further prognosis. One recently developed drug delivery system called nanoparticles is currently being utilized in combating COVID-19. This article highlights the existing methods for diagnosis of COVID-19 such as computed tomography scan, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, nucleic acid sequencing, immunoassay, point-of-care test, detection from breath, nanotechnology-based bio-sensors, viral antigen detection, microfluidic device, magnetic nanosensor, magnetic resonance platform and internet-of-things biosensors. The latest detection strategy based on nanotechnology, biosensor, is said to produce satisfactory results in recognizing SARS-CoV-2 virus. It also highlights the successes in the research and development of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines that are already in use. In addition, there are a number of nanovaccines and nanomedicines currently in clinical trials that have the potential to target COVID-19.