The 2019-nCoV coronavirus outbreak has surpassed 28,000 confirmed cases and claimed over 550 lives. Chinese researchers report developing an effective treatment, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has firmly denied any such breakthrough exists.
In China, daily deaths hit a new record of 73, pushing the total death toll to 565, including one in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines. Confirmed cases stand at 28,261 as of February 6, 2020, per Hong Kong's South China Morning Post. Meanwhile, 911 patients have recovered. Other hardest-hit countries include Japan (33 cases), Singapore (28), Thailand (25), and South Korea (19).
With tens of millions of Chinese under lockdown, public frustration is mounting. President Xi Jinping has vowed that local officials—who bear much of the blame—will face severe punishment for failing to adhere to central guidelines in containing the outbreak.
A February 4 article from China's CGTN reported that Zhejiang University researchers developed a potential treatment via in vitro lab tests. This approach, combining two molecules, reportedly blocks the coronavirus.
On February 5, Prof. Robin Shattock of Imperial College London told Sky News his team achieved a "significant breakthrough" and is preparing animal trials.
The WHO clarified the same day: While research continues, no effective treatment is available yet. Results from ongoing studies in China and the UK could prove pivotal in the coming days.
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