https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html
I think it's generally agreed within the medical community that SARS, MERS, COVID19 and other corona viruses began from bats, passed on to animals, then to humans. Reports I saw from the CDC today said that also. If you read the above link above it says the same.
I think the concern with this one, as opposed to SARS, MERS or the common flu is the fact that this one is so much more easily transmitted from person to person. At this point the
Incidence of death is about 3% as opposed to flu being 1%, but the CDC expects it to fall to 1% long term.
One good thing is, it seems to have little serious effect on children and younger people in good health, hopefully it stays that way.