Researchers at Oxford University in the United Kingdom are believed to be working on a coronavirus vaccine which could be made available to public by the end of this year, The Guardian is reporting. According to the UK-based publiction, a trial on the humans is being planned next month, with animal trials at a Public Health England (PHE) laboratory also slated to begin around the same time.
The news website reported that the effort to develop the vaccine at Oxford University was being led by Professor Sarah Gilbert. The Director of university's Jenner Institute, Professor Adrian Hill, was quoted as saying that expected the mortality rates to peak by June or July.
While a total of 3,269 positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in the UK, multiple media reports have cited experts as claiming that the actual number could be much higher between 30 to 35,000 affected patients. A total of 144 deaths have been reported from the country, as the epicentre of the virus gradually moves from Wuhan to the European continent and the US.
While no new cases were reported from Wuhan on Thursday, Italy has surpassed China in the number of deaths due to the outbreak.
