Hockey is cancelled for all of two days, and Canada has made a significant breakthrough in the COVID-19 outbreak: isolating the agent responsible for the worldwide spreading.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) has been isolated by a team of researchers from Sunnybrook Research Institute, McMaster University, and the University of Toronto. The institutes were able to culture the virus from two clinical specimens in a Level 3-categorized containment facility.
This breakthrough is a great step in the ongoing efforts for containment, treatment, and ultimately, curing of the virus. Having the isolated virus will help developing diagnostic tools, testing kits, and further development of our knowledge of the virus.
While there is still a ways to go with the research, it’s refreshing to have some good news about the outbreak. This is, by no means, the end of the pandemic, so please continue to practice good hygiene, wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and be patient.
Progress is being made and as Dr. Rob Kozak, a clinical microbiologist at Sunnybrook, said, “It demonstrates the amazing things that can happen when we collaborate.”
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