Eye on Vaccine

Scientists from China have successfully isolated two Zika virus strains, an advancement that could be useful in creating a vaccine, which will be capable of halting the march of the mosquito–borne disease that has triggered a global health emergency.

According to the Academy of Military Medical Sciences and Guangzhou No. 8 People’s Hospital, the two strains were separated from the blood and urine samples of two patients. With temperatures poised to rise across China and along with the confirmed five cases of imported Zika virus, China is now on high alert.

Scientists believe that the strains will help them understand the transmission pattern of the virus and provide groundwork for the invention of a new vaccine. Moreover, they announced that they had successfully decoded the gene sequence of the first imported Zika virus, which has been reported in nearly 34 countries.