In mere hours of the announcement of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China, scientists kicked off research into getting the virus under control. They were able to do so as Chinese officials quickly released the genetic code of the virus. It is this information which will allow scientists going forward to study the illness, its causes, and how it could mutate.

Coronavirus was first alerted to the World Health Organisation by China on New Year’s Eve 2019.

At that point, it was just a strange pneumonia-like illness.

However, nine days later the cases were confirmed to be a coronavirus which had never been seen before.

China shared the genetic code of the virus the next day, with scientists immediately getting to work in the wake of the first confirmed fatality.

And large amounts of cash were injected into research labs by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi), which was created after the Ebola outbreak.

It is through this boost that scientists are able to undertake potentially life-saving work.

Inovio Pharmaceuticals is just one of the organisations looking into a potential cure.

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Speaking to the BBC, Kate Broderick, Senior Vice-President of research and development at Inovio said: “Once China had provided the DNA sequence of this virus, we were able to put it through our lab’s computer technology and design a vaccine within three hours.

“Our DNA medicine vaccines are novel in that they use DNA sequences from the virus to target specific parts of the pathogen which we believe the body will mount the strongest response to.

“We then use the patient’s own cells to become a factor for the vaccine, strengthening the body’s own natural response mechanism.”

If trials are successful, scientists will be on the front line, in outbreak zones by the end of the year to conduct more trials.

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No response to a virus has been this quick, and whilst it is hoped the virus will end by the conclusion of 2020, scientists are prepared if it does not.

And cutting-edge research has spread worldwide.

The University of Queensland, Australia and company Moderna Inc in Massachusetts are also looking into developing a vaccine.

Queensland teams are developing a “molecular clamp” vaccine which will hit coronavirus hard and destroy multiple pathogens.

The Moderna Inc researchers have teamed up with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to quicken their processes.

All in all, the World Health Organisation has been pleased with the progress made.

It is this global organisation which is coordinating research to make sure processes are efficient, quick and hard-hitting.

Ana Maria Henan-Restrepo from WHO’s Health Emergencies programme told the BBC: “We have developed a framework to inform decisions on which candidate vaccines should be tested first…

“Understand the disease, its reservoirs, its transmission, its clinical severity and developing effective countermeasures is critical for the control of the outbreak.”

The head of WHO’s Health Emergencies programme, Dr Mike Ryan, has said “the whole world needs to be on alert” to fight back against the virus.

He said: “The challenge is great but the response has been massive…

“We are at an important juncture in this event.”

WHO’s international experts will now be assembled to work on the ground in China to learn about disease transmission.

He added: “We believe these chains of transmission can still be interrupted.”