Researchers testing a coronavirus vaccine in Britain have begun trials of the vaccine in South Africa and Brazil.
The vaccine, developed at Oxford University, began its second phase last week to test over 10,000 older adults and children. But with cases of the virus dwindling in the United Kingdom, researchers worry that they will not have enough participants, so they have begun trials in Brazil and South Africa.
Cases are surging in those two countries. Confirmed cases grew by over 42,725 in Brazil yesterday, and deaths rose by 1,185. South Africa reported 5,688 new cases and 103 new deaths. Brazil has seen over 1.19 million cases and over 53,800 deaths since the pandemic began. South Africa has reported 112,000 cases and more than 2,200 deaths.
Trials of the vaccine will soon begin in the United States where cases are surging in the South and West. AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company that partners with Oxford, will begin enrolling 30,000 people later this month. AstraZeneca received a $1 billion investment from the federal government in May for the vaccine.
The U.S. has nearly 2.37 confirmed cases and over 115,000 deaths. Confirmed cases rose by 38,672 on Wednesday, and deaths increased to 722.
So far, the vaccine has shown positive results in monkeys and pigs.
