Chinese Scientists Start Developing Vaccine Against Novel Coronavirus - State Media

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2020) The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has started developing a vaccine against the new deadly coronavirus, the official China Daily newspaper reported on Sunday, citing a health official.

According to Wenbo Xu, the head of the center's virology institute, scientists have managed to isolate the virus and are currently selecting a strain for the vaccine. In addition, the center is screening medications for the treatment of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus.

The new type of coronavirus, which is currently spreading across the world, was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late December. There have been already over 1,970 confirmed coronavirus cases in China, with the death toll now standing at 56.

Apart from China, confirmed cases of the new coronavirus have been recorded in Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Nepal, France, the United States, Malaysia, Australia and Canada.