Scientists in Australia were the first to successfully synthesise the virus in the laboratoryScientists in Hong Kong have developed a vaccine that they think might work against the Chinese coronavirus as the global research community stepped up its efforts to halt the epidemic. Although it would still be at least a year before any vaccine candidate could be tested and proven to be safe, the development highlighted the unprecedented speed with which virologists were responding to the outbreak. The announcement came as researchers in Australia also revealed that they had successfully synthesised the virus in the laboratory, using a sample from an infected patient. Their success in fabricating the virus is a crucial step in allowing laboratories to create their own treatments and to uncover its secrets. Yesterday officials said that the number of reported cases of

Source: The Times January 29, 2020 12:11 UTC