Coronavirus has killed 170 people in China with 7,711 confirmed cases in the country as of January 29. The World Health Organisation declared the deadly virus an international public health emergency following an emergency committee meeting. It comes as 81 British people have been transported from China to the UK.
The lab-grown coronavirus will be replicated and distributed for more in-depth analysis around the world.
It was dubbed “a major breakthrough” by Dr. Julian Druce, the institute’s virus-identification laboratory head.
Coronavirus has since reached the UK with two confirmed cases as health officials urgently trace those who came into contact with them.
Public Health England (PHE) confirmed that the two people taken ill had been staying in York when they became unwell.
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The pair are being treated by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in its specialist Airborne High Consequences Infectious Disease Centre (HCID).
It is understood that they travelled to the UK from China recently and are undergoing treatment at the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Professor Sharon Peacock, director of the National Infection Service at PHE, said: “Public Health England is contacting people who had close contact with the confirmed cases.
“The two cases were staying in York when they became unwell.
It comes after more than 80 Britons on an evacuation flight from the Chinese city at the centre of the outbreak landed back in the UK.
The flight, carrying 83 Britons and 27 non-UK nationals, mostly from EU countries, arrived at the Brize Norton RAF base in Oxfordshire at around 1.30pm.
The UK passengers are being taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral for a quarantine period of 14 days, where they will be housed in an NHS staff accommodation block with access to the internet.
Ministers said the Government will send another plane to coronavirus-hit Wuhan to rescue British citizens if needed.