The epidemic now has a name: COVID-19

Amid the breakout in Wuhan, China, the novel coronavirus has managed to invade the other countries across the globe. Till now, almost 25 countries including several Asian, northern American, Australia and European countries, have reported confirmed cases of coronavirus.

With the infected cases totalling to 45,168, and the deaths around 1,115- surpassing the death rate reported at the time of Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)- the novel Coronavirus has now come to know as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19).

Coronaviruses are basically transmitted between people and animals. Till now no confirmed sources of spread and therapy have been developed to contain its spread, which has raised severe public health concern. As of now the only way to cease its spread is to isolate the infected person, putting them in quarantine thus preventing the spread.

To tackle the outbreak situation and contain its spread, several researchers and pharma companies have joined the race to develop a standard therapy for the Coronavirus epidemic which is on the cusp of becoming pandemic.

Therapies, which Pharma companies are reportedly working on, and have the potential to cure the coronavirus epidemic are:

• Noravax’s MERS coronavirus vaccine is designed by using recombinant nanoparticle vaccine technology and binds to the protein of the virus hampering its function. 
• Invio’s INO-4700, is another intramuscular vaccine, which uses investigational DNA immunotherapy, has shown positive results in treating MERS-CoV. 
• Biocryst’s Galidesivir, which is an antiviral treatment, works by disrupting viral replication and has successfully managed to regulate deadly diseases like Ebola and Zika viral infections. 
• AbbVie’s Lopinavir HIV inhibitor is under evaluation with ritonavir, which is believed to directly attack the virus by hampering its replication. 
• Regeneron’s REGN3048-3051, understudies to cure the viral infection by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), as both the antibodies bind to the S-protein of MERS coronavirus.

Health organizations like WHO, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC)  and  FDA are on high-alert, closely monitoring the situation. Looking at the current situation, the World Health Organization has even declared the coronavirus outbreak a Global Public Health Emergency.

Moreover, countries -affected or not- around the globe have taken some serious measures at their own level. India, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Turkey, South Korea and several European countries have evacuated their citizens from Wuhan province and issued an advisory regarding travelling to china.