Australian Scientists Develop Coronavirus in Lab as Evacuated Aussies Sent to Christmas Island

(L-R) The Royal Melbourne Hospital's Dr. Julian Druce, Virus Identification Laboratory Head at the Doherty Institute and Dr. Mike Catton, Deputy Director of the Doherty Institute, announce having successfully grown the Wuhan coronavirus from a patient sample in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 28, 2020. Andrew Kelly/Reuters

Scientists in Australia on Jan. 29 became the first to successfully develop a lab-grown version of coronavirus outside of China in what they called a “significant breakthrough,” as Australia announced it would help evacuate citizens from the epicenter of the outbreak for quarantine on Christmas Island.

The team of scientists at the Melbourne-based Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity said they grew the coronavirus sample from a patient who had been infected since Friday.