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Everything you need to know about coronavirus 2:29
(CNN) - A laboratory in Australia is the first outside China to develop a culture of Wuhan coronavirus from a patient's sample, which according to the authorities “will provide specialized international laboratories with crucial information to help combat the virus".
- MIRA: In which countries are there cases of Wuhan coronavirus? Look at the complete list and the number of cases
Dr. Julian Druce, head of the Virus Identification Laboratory of the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, said in a statement that "this was a significant advance as it will allow accurate research and diagnosis of the virus worldwide" .
“Chinese officials published the genome sequence of this new coronavirus, which is useful for diagnosis, however, having the real virus means that we now have the ability to validate and verify all test methods and compare their sensitivities and specificities. It will be a turning point for diagnosis, ”Druce added in the statement.
- READ: Minute by minute: With more than 6,000 affected, Wuhan's coronavirus exceeds the number of SARS cases
China has reported more than 6,000 people infected with the coronavirus since the outbreak broke out in mid-January, a figure that exceeds the number of cases left by SARS. At least 132 people have lost their lives because of the disease.
coronavirus Wuhan corononavirus Laboratory