COULD PHARMAUST HAVE THE ANSWER?

SECOND TIME OUTBREAK, FAR MORE INFECTIOUS.

Beijing on Tuesday urged its residents to not leave the city and closed schools again as authorities scramble to contain a "severe" new coronavirus outbreak in the city of 21 million people.

The coronavirus resurgence, believed to have started in the capital's sprawling Xinfadi wholesale food market, has prompted alarm as China had largely brought its outbreak under control through mass testing and draconian lockdowns.

Beijing residents were told to avoid “non-essential” travel out of the capital, and anyone entering or leaving will be tested for Covid-19.

Additional neighbourhoods were fenced off on Tuesday, with 27 now designated medium risk, which means authorities can impose stricter restrictions on the movement of people and cars and can carry out temperature checks. One has been designated high risk.

“The epidemic situation in the capital is extremely severe,” Beijing city spokesman Xu Hejian warned at a press conference. “Right now we have to take strict measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.”

As the outbreak spreads its deadly tentacles investors in little-known Australian company PharmAust wait for news on a possible drug that may be beneficial in the reduction and severity of this killer virus.