Covid-19

Coronavirus Global Update: 20 vaccines developed, hope for cure rising

Published

7 years ago

February 29, 2020

Editor

Scientists are intensifying their efforts at developing vaccines to contain the coronavirus disease spreading across the world.

More than 20 vaccines are at the development stage globally, and several therapeutics are in clinical trials, the World Health Organisation said on Friday .

The coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak which originated from China has spread to all the continents, including 49 countries, except Antarctica. No cure yet.

China has been trying various treatments and documenting the trials.

WHO chief, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said that as of Friday, China has reported 78,959 cases to WHO, including 2791 deaths.

“Outside China, there are now 4351 cases in 49 countries and 67 deaths.

“Since Thursday, Denmark, Estonia , Lithuania, Netherlands and Nigeria have all reported their first COVID19 cases. All these cases have links to Italy.

So far, Ghebreyesus said, 24 cases have been exported from Italy to 14 countries, and 97 cases have been exported from Iran to 11 countries.

He also said while 20 potential vaccines are being developed.
Mr Ghebreyesus said the continued increase in the number of COVID19 cases, and the number of affected countries over the last few days, are clearly of concern.
Since the disease broke out, the UN health agency has been working closely with China to understudy the disease process and what medication seems to be working or not.
A joint WHO-China Joint Mission has also made some recommendations on their findings so far on the outbreak.
The WHO chief said the WHO-China Joint Mission has published its report “and it is available in English on the WHO website and will also be posted in China on the National Health Commission website”.
“The report includes a wealth of information, and 22 recommendations for China, for affected and unaffected countries, for the international community, and the general public.

“It calls for all countries to educate their populations, to expand surveillance, to find, isolate and care for every COVID19 case, to trace every contact, and to take an all-of-government and all-of-society approach – this is not a job for the health ministry alone,” he said.