Australia scientists claim first re-creation of coronavirus outside China

Published on 29 Jan 2020 1:55:24 PM

A team of scientists in Australia said on Wednesday (Jan 29) they have successfully developed a lab-grown version of coronavirus, the first to be recreated outside of China, in a breakthrough that could help combat the global spread of the illness.

The researchers at the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne said they would share the sample, which was grown from an infected patient, with the WHO and laboratories around the world.

The institute said the virus sample would be used to generate an antibody test as well as contributing to the creation of a vaccine.