Security personnel check the temperature of journalists before a State Council Information Office (SCIO) press conference about a deadly virus in Beijing on Jan 26, 2020. (NOEL CELIS / AFP)

BEIJING - Research and development of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which has caused a wider outbreak in China, is under way, a scientist from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Sunday even as a senior health official said recent clinical results showed that the virus was becoming more contagious.

Recent clinical results showed that the virus was becoming more contagious, but studies are still needed to understand its virulence, director of China's National Health Commission said

Scientists from the center have successfully isolated the virus, and are working to select the proper strain for vaccine production, Xu Wenbo, head of the center's viral disease control and prevention institute, said.

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Research and development of a vaccine is complex work, which usually requires between two and three years before availability for use, he said, adding it is possible that a new vaccine may be developed within a few years in emergency conditions.
Later on Sunday, a senior health official said China is at a crucial time to prevent and control the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Ma Xiaowei, director of China's National Health Commission (NHC) , said at a press conference that the one-week Lunar New Year holiday is the best time to allow massive isolation and disinfection to take effect. 

Recent clinical results showed that the virus was becoming more contagious, but studies are still needed to understand its virulence, Ma said, adding that preventive and contral measures taken in Wuhan are playing an important role.

"It is still in the early stage of pneumonia outbreaks," Ma said. "With strict measures taken by various localities in the country, we will be able to curb the spread of the virus with lower cost and at a faster speed."
The NHC will send an additional 12 teams comprising more than 1,600 medical staff to Hubei province where the local medical system was overwhelmed by the outbreak, he said. Ma said the NHC had sent more than 900 medical personnel in seven teams to Hubei. The military also sent a 450-strong medical team. More than 1,000 others are on standby, he said.

China's Foreign Ministry also weighed in with spokesperson Hua Chunying saying in a statement that the country was maintaining close communication with the World Health Organization (WHO) and countries concerned.

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China has been releasing information to the WHO as well as relevant countries in a timely manner since the outbreak in Wuhan, Hua said in a statement.

She confirmed that the United States had tabled a proposal to evacuate personnel from its Wuhan consulate to the United States.

China will make arrangements accordingly and provide assistance to the US side in line with international practice and China's relevant provisions on epidemic prevention, said Hua.