Explained: Here is how scientists are finding a cure for coronavirus

It will take months before a line of treatment or vaccine against the disease can be developed. How are scientists worldwide collaborating? A look at what genetic information is being studied, and why.

6 min readPuneUpdated: Mar 12, 2020 10:33 AM IST

Explained: Here is how scientists are finding a cure for coronavirus

Genome sequencing is done for final confirmation of coronavirus at National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. (Express Photo: Pavan Khengre)

Scientists across the world are trying to develop a line of treatment and a possible vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, which has infected over 100,000 people and claimed over 4,000 lives. Even the most optimistic timelines, however, don’t see a line of treatment or vaccine arriving before next year. Meanwhile, a global effort is on to collect and analyse the genetic composition of the new virus, which would be key to developing a cure and a vaccine.

Coronavirus outbreak: What kind of genetic information is being studied?

Laboratories in various countries have been isolating and sharing the genome sequences of the virus on an international platform. Whole genome sequencing is the process of determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism’s genome at a single time. Genome sequence is the unique code of genetic material of any organism, and determines the characteristic of any organism. The gene composition of novel coronavirus, for instance, is different from that of the influenza virus. Every organism has a unique genome sequence.

So far, 326 sets of data have been shared. India has so far reported two sets of genome sequences, both of which are very similar to the original sequences collected from patients in Wuhan. Scientists say this is expected since the sequences were extracted from the first positive cases in Kerala, who had returned from Wuhan. China has contributed 120 sequences.

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So, why are so many genome sequences being isolated?

When viruses multiply, or reproduce, there is a copying mechanism that transfers the gene information to the next generation. However, no copying mechanism is perfect. When the virus multiplies, there will be small changes, which are called mutations. These mutations accumulate over time, and after prolonged periods, are responsible for evolution into new organisms. Within a single reproduction, the changes are extremely minor. More than 95 per cent of the gene structure remains the same.

However, the small changes that occur are crucial to understanding the nature and behaviour of the organism. In this case, for example, the small changes could provide scientists with information about the origin, transmission, and impact of the virus on the patient. It could also hold clues to the differing effects the virus could have on patients with different health parameters.

What explains the huge difference between the number of genome sequences contributed by China (120) and India (2)?

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India has far fewer positive cases compared to China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, or even the United States. Every day, about 20-30 genome sequences are being shared from different laboratories across the world. Patients who have been infected with the virus in similar conditions are unlikely to show any significant changes in the genome sequences. For example, the positive cases in a group of 40 from Maharashtra, who visited Dubai last month, are likely to have similar genome sequences, and therefore, one or two representative sequencing could be adequate from the group. Patients with existing medical conditions could be other candidates from where genome sequences of this virus could be isolated. This could help scientists to look for clues to possible impact of virus amidst those existing medical conditions.

When viruses multiply, or reproduce, there is a copying mechanism that transfers the gene information to the next generation. (NIAID-RML via AP)

Some countries have been reporting genome sequences much faster than others. China has contributed 120 sequences so far, but has not been sharing any more for the last few days. The US has shared 43 genome sequences, while the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have contributed 25 each.

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Scientists say new technological tools have made it easier to isolate full genome sequences. Traditional techniques used to take weeks for the extraction, but new machines are able to do it within two to three days.

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The two Indian sequences have both come from patients who had returned from Wuhan where the outbreak began in December last year.

Currently, what is the most effective medication?

As of now, scientists do not know. The ideal way of testing a drug to show that it is effective is to compare no-treatment to new-treatment in a clinical trial. Using a drug or drugs in one or two persons provides anecdotal evidence.

In trials , data is accumulated from many people. Although several efforts to develop drugs are going on, scientists say success is unlikely to come immediately.

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Right now, drugs are being repurposed, meaning old drugs for similar diseases are being checked for their efficacy against COVID-19. These drugs, if they work, will require clinical trials, and then can be made widely available for people. In most cases, symptomatic treatment for fever, body ache, and cough will be sufficient. More severe cases will require oxygen and respiratory support.

“New drugs will be useful particularly for severe cases, but we will have to wait to see how long it will take to get repurposed drugs and new drugs,” said Dr Gagandeep Kang, Executive Director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute.

This article first appeared in the print edition on March 12, 2020 under the title ‘The hunt for corona treatment’.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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