- China has just gained approval for a potential coronavirus vaccine to begin testing on humans
- The potential vaccine was developed by Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products, and co-developed by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical and the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Its one of several vaccines being tested around the globe, in a bid to eradicate the deadly virus, which has killed close to half a million people
Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products’ unit has announced it has been given the green light from China to test its potential COVID-19 vaccine on humans.
Reuters reports the company revealed it had received a certificate from China’s National Medical Products Administration to launch clinical trials today.
If the trials are successful, the vaccine would then need to receive regulatory approval, before being manufactured and sold.
So far, none of the potential vaccines being developed have passed the necessary clinical trials.
Today’s exciting development comes as the World Health Organisation revealed on Sunday, 183,000 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded, the highest number of infections recorded in a single day since the outbreak started.
That jump in infections includes previously safe countries, like Germany and Australia, who had both begun easing coronavirus restrictions.
To date, more than 8.86 million people have contracted COVID-19, with the number of confirmed deaths sitting at over 465,000.
Currently, the only known treatment, not vaccine, of coronavirus is a cheap steroid called dexamethasone.
The drug has proven to reduce deaths in critically illy patients.
WHO has called for production of dexamethasone to be boosted, while the world waits for a vaccine.