🧐 ProPicks AI October update is out now! See which stocks made the listPick Stocks with AI

UPDATE 1-WHO convening experts on drugs, vaccines to set coronavirus research agenda

Published 06/02/2020, 04:03 am
Updated 06/02/2020, 04:07 am
© Reuters.  UPDATE 1-WHO convening experts on drugs, vaccines to set coronavirus research agenda

(Adds details, quotes)

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Hundreds of experts will meet in Geneva next Tuesday and Wednesday to set research and development priorities for coronavirus drugs, diagnostics and vaccines to combat the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

"There are no proven effective therapeutics for novel coronavirus," Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO emergencies programme, told a news conference.

WHO epidemiologist Dr. Maria van Kerkhove said participants would include experts in clinical investigations and research into an animal source of the virus which emerged at a market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

"We want to bring the best minds, people who have experience in this so come around a comprehensive research agenda around coronavirus," she said.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said a multinational WHO-led team would go to China very soon to work with Chinese authorities in tackling the outbreak. He gave no details.

A total of 24,363 confirmed cases have been counted in China, including 490 deaths, Tedros said. The past 24 hours had seen the most cases in a single day since the outbreak started.

Outside China there have been 191 cases in 24 countries and one death in the Philippines, WHO figures show.

The WHO-led mission may include experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Some 20 agencies in the tourism and travel industry, including IATA, ICAO and the U.N.'s World Tourism Organization as well as several airlines, took part in a teleconference on Wednesday to discuss concerns including protection of crews and passengers when flights to and from China resume, she said.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.