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Coronavirus medicine:

The vaccines and drugs in development to treat COVID-19

A number of treatments and vaccines have been proposed to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's what you need to know about them

Sir Prince (Coronavirus medicine)

COVID-19, the potentially fatal respiratory illness first detected in December 2019, has spread across the globe, forcing the cancellation of major events, postponing sports seasons, and sending many into self-imposed quarantine and self-isolation. Health authorities and governments are attempting to flatten the curve, mitigating the spread through the community, while scientists and biotech firms turn their attention to the coronavirus causing the disease: SARS-CoV-2.

Since it was first discovered as the causative agent of the new disease, scientists have been racing to get a better understanding of the virus' genetic makeup, how it infects cells and how to effectively treat it. There's no cure, and medical specialists can only treat the symptoms of the disease. Many different treatment options have been proposed and some older drugs seem to be associated with positive outcomes -- but much more work is required. However, the long-term strategy to combat COVID-19, which has spread to every continent on Earth besides Antarctica, is to develop a vaccine.

Developing new vaccines takes time, and they must be rigorously tested and confirmed safe via clinical trials before they can be routinely used in humans. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the US, has frequently stated that a vaccine is at least a year to 18 months away. Experts agree there's a ways to go yet.

CNET CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Get all the latest on the coronavirus that's now been declared a pandemic.

Vaccines are incredibly important in the fight against disease. We've been able to keep a handful of viral diseases at bay for decades because of vaccine development. Even so, there exists confusion and unease about their usefulness. This guide explains what vaccines are, why they are so important and how scientists will use them in the fight against the coronavirus. It also discusses the current treatment options being used and those that show promise in hospitals.

As more candidates appear and are tested, we'll add them to this list, so bookmark this page and check back for the latest updates.

You can jump to any segment by clicking the links below:

What is a vaccine? What's in a vaccine? Making a COVID-19 vaccine When will a vaccine be available? First COVID-19 vaccine trials in the US How do you treat COVID-19? The trouble with chloroquine Convalescent plasma therapy How you can protect yourself from coronavirus now What is a vaccine? A vaccine is a type of treatment aimed at stimulating the body's immune system to fight against infectious pathogens, like bacteria and viruses. They are, according to the World Health Organization, "one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases."

The human body is particularly resilient to disease, having evolved a natural defense system against nasty disease-causing microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. The defense system -- our immune system -- is composed of different types of white blood cells that can detect and destroy foreign invaders. Some gobble up bacteria, some produce antibodies which can tell the body what to destroy and take out the germs, and other cells memorize what the invaders look like, so the body can respond quickly if they invade again.

Watch this: Pandemic: Here's what's changed about the coronavirus 5:54 Vaccines are a really clever fake-out. They make the body think it's infected so it stimulates this immune response. For instance, the measles vaccine tricks the body into thinking it has measles. When you are vaccinated for measles, your body generates a record of the measles virus. If you come into contact with it in the future, the body's immune system is primed and ready to beat it back before you can get sick.

The very first vaccine was developed by a scientist named Edward Jenner in the late 18th century. In a famous experiment, Jenner scraped pus from a milkmaid with cowpox -- a type of virus that causes disease mostly in cows and is very similar to the smallpox virus -- and introduced the pus into a young boy. The young boy became a little ill and had a mild case of cowpox. Later, Jenner inoculated the boy with smallpox, but he didn't get sick. Jenner's first injection of cowpox pus trained the boy's body to recognize the cowpox virus and, because it's so similar to smallpox, the young man was able to fight it off and not get sick.

Vaccines have come an incredibly long way since 1796. Scientists certainly don't inject pus from patients into other patients, and vaccines must abide by strict safety regulations, multiple rounds of clinical testing and strong governmental guidelines before they can be adopted for widespread use.

COV1D-19
A very sad day in the history of our nation, especially in the National response to COV1D-19. It is with deep sorrow and sadness that one of the only two positive cases confirmed so far died today.

National Microbiology Reference Laboratory tested a total 15 suspected cases, and contacts of the positive cases. All tested negative for COVID-19. According to WHO, to date, more than 340 000 have been infected globally and more than 14 000 people have died. It took 67 days from the first reported case to reach the first 100,000 cases, 11 days for the second 100,000 cases and just 4 days for the third 100,000 cases.

The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following are some of the additional measures announced today by His Excellency, The President Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa, to minimise further spread of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe. These additional measures take immediate effect.

Boarder control: Government has decided to ban all non-essential travel and traffic, both inbound and outbound; except for movement of cargo. Government will close all boarders to human traffic, excluding returning residents. Ban on entertainment and recreational activities: Government has put a blanket ban on gathering in nightclubs, bars, beerhalls, movie houses, swimming pools, gymnasium and sporting activities. Public gatherings: All public gatherings should not exceed 50 persons. These include religious fellowship, weddings, conferences, workshops and funerals. Hospital visits: Hospital visits have been reduced to one visit per day, involving one relative per patient.

The Ministry would like to remind everyone to remain vigilant in the prevention of COVID-19 and practice good personal hygiene including.

Washing hands with soap and water frequently or use of an alcohol-based hand-rub, Covering your nose and mouth with tissue paper or flexed elbow when coughing and sneezing Avoiding close contact with people who are sick, coughing or sneezing.Additionally, all non-essential travel is strongly discouraged.

If you suspect COVID-19 disease, or wish to obtain more information on this disease, you are advised to call the following Ministry of Health and Child Care TOLLFREE HOTLINE numbers for assistance: +263714 734 593 or +263774 112 531.

Prominent 30-year-old Zimbabwe broadcaster dies of coronavirus
30-year-old television journalist has died in Zimbabwe after contracting the new coronavirus infection, the first person to die in the country from the virus. Zororo Makamba was one of the two people who tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. He was admitted to hospital in the capital Harare after exhibiting flu-like symptoms last Thursday, the health ministry said in a statement. Makamba contracted the disease while he was in New York and was in isolation at Wilkins hospital, Harare's only isolation facility. Zimbabwe&#39;s health workers wear protective suits during a training exercise.

Zimbabwe's health workers wear protective suits during a training exercise. A childhood friend of Makamba's told CNN he was suffering from a rare condition known as Myasthenia gravis, a chronic, neuromuscular illness, and had undergone surgery to remove a tumor from his chest last year. TV personality and executive producer, Vimbai Muthinhiri said Makamba was like a brother to her and their families were close growing up. "Zororo embodied what comes to mind when we talk about Africa's next generation being our hope," Muthinhiri said.

"He was Zo, our little brother and ever happy friend who always saw a silver lining in every situation. It's so difficult to accept that someone who was so full of life will no longer call to check in again," she added.