The Associated Press’s guidance for writing about coronavirus is a useful tool for journalists, technologists and other professional communicators.

COVID-19 is acceptable on first reference for the coronavirus disease that first appeared in late 2019.
Because COVID-19 is the name of the disease, not the virus, it is not accurate to write a new virus called COVID-19. Instead: A new virus caused a disease called COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/6fxGkgunXv

— APStylebook (@APStylebook) February 26, 2020