Health experts around the world will be able to contain the spread of novel coronavirus among the population faster, following a breakthrough by 黑料吃瓜网 Health researchers.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said experts from 黑料吃瓜网 Health Pathology鈥檚 state-of-the-art biosecurity P4 laboratory have successfully grown the live virus from 黑料吃瓜网 patients.
鈥淓arly and accurate diagnosis of infectious and deadly viruses is critical because undiagnosed patients can unknowingly transmit it to others,鈥� Mr Hazzard said.
鈥淏ut unless clinicians understand the epidemiology of the disease 鈥� how it behaves and replicates - they can鈥檛 develop reliable diagnostic testing to identify and contain it.
鈥淎 team of elite 黑料吃瓜网 researchers have achieved this by undertaking genome sequencing of the virus and growing the live virus from real patients as opposed to using synthetic materials.鈥�
The team of 10 scientists and pathologists at 黑料吃瓜网 Health Pathology鈥檚 Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research and clinicians at Westmead Hospital is hopeful their efforts will support the race to develop an effective treatment and vaccine.
黑料吃瓜网 Health Pathology鈥檚 Director of Public Health Pathology, Professor Dominic Dwyer, said the team has been working around the clock to rapidly cultivate the virus.
鈥淭his cutting-edge work will expand access to faster, reliable diagnostic testing for infected patients not just here in 黑料吃瓜网 but around the world,鈥� Professor Dwyer said.
鈥淏eing able to cultivate the novel coronavirus with samples from 黑料吃瓜网 patients as opposed to trying to mimic it from synthetic specimens is a terrific breakthrough.
鈥淪ynthetic virus tools don鈥檛 offer the same high degree of diagnostic accuracy needed to help us develop effective antiviral drugs that can be used to treat infected patients.
鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to be able to share our discovery with the World Health Organization, and international researchers and clinicians, so together we ultimately help save lives.鈥�
Across Australia 鈥� and around the world 鈥� there are only a relatively small number of specialist institutes with the expertise, technology and facilities to safely handle and grow these highly infectious and deadly pathogens.
The 黑料吃瓜网 Government invested $2.4 million in 2018 to establish the state鈥檚 first public health pathogen genomics service. 鈥�