Timeline of key events in biotechnology

Mouseover the event title for a more detailed description of the event (if available). To search for particular terms in the description of the event enter the term in the box below 'Event' on the table and press 'enter'. Alternatively use the dropdown lists to filter by Person, Place or Science. Click here to clear the filter.

2020-02-01T00:00:00+0000The person who died was a Chinese man from Wuhan. By this stage China reported 14,380 cases of infection and and the total death toll to be 304.2020-02-02T00:00:00+00002020-02-04T00:00:00+0000The Belgian case was a person who had been repatriated from Wuhan. China reported 20,438 infected cases and the total number of deaths to have risen to 426. 2020-02-04T00:00:00+0000US laid on more flights to evacuate US citizens from Wuhan. 2020-02-05T00:00:00+00002020-02-06T00:00:00+0000Born in Beizhen, China, Wenliang worked at Wuhan Central Hospital from 2014. He had contracted Covid-19 from a patient. His death highlighted the large toll Covid-19 on healthcare workers. 2020-02-07T00:00:00+00002020-02-11T00:00:00+0000A person with Leber’s congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10), a genetic condition that is a leading cause of blindness in childhood, was given the treatment. It involved administering a CRISPR–Cas9 gene therapy directly into the patient's eye, near photoreceptor cells. The treatment aims to delete a mutation in the gene CEP290 that is responsible for LCA10. The procedure was performed at Oregon Health and Science University by Mark Pennesi. 2020-03-04T00:00:00+00002020-03-11T00:00:00+00002020-03-18T00:00:00+0000
Date Event People Places Sciences
1 Feb 2020New Covid-10 cases confirmed in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and the US   Covid-19
2 Feb 2020First Covid-19 death reported outside China - in the Philippines  Covid-19
4 Feb 2020Hong Kong reported its first Covid-19 death, bringing the global death toll to 427  Covid-19
4 Feb 2020Belgium reported its first confirmed Covid-19 case  Covid-19
5 Feb 2020WHO announced there was 'no known effective' treatment for Covid-19  Covid-19
6 Feb 2020Malaysia reported the country's first known human-to-human transmission of Covid-19 and number of people infected in Europe reached 30  Covid-19
7 Feb 2020Li Wenliang, the first Chinese doctor to sound the alarm over Covid-19 died from the disease aged 33 years oldLi WenliangWuhan Central Hospital Covid-19
11 Feb 2020WHO officially named the new coronavirus disease Covid-19   Covid-19
4 Mar 2020First patient received gene editing therapy with CRISPR directly administered into the bodyPennesiOregon Health and Science UniversityCrispr-Cas9, Gene editing, Opthalmology, Gene therapy
11 Mar 2020WHO declared Covid-19 to be a pandemic  Covid-19
18 Mar 2020The Czech republic made the wearing of masks compulsory to try and prevent the spread of Covid-19  Covid-19

1 Feb 2020

New Covid-10 cases confirmed in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and the US

2 Feb 2020

First Covid-19 death reported outside China - in the Philippines

4 Feb 2020

Hong Kong reported its first Covid-19 death, bringing the global death toll to 427

4 Feb 2020

Belgium reported its first confirmed Covid-19 case

5 Feb 2020

WHO announced there was 'no known effective' treatment for Covid-19

6 Feb 2020

Malaysia reported the country's first known human-to-human transmission of Covid-19 and number of people infected in Europe reached 30

7 Feb 2020

Li Wenliang, the first Chinese doctor to sound the alarm over Covid-19 died from the disease aged 33 years old

11 Feb 2020

WHO officially named the new coronavirus disease Covid-19

4 Mar 2020

First patient received gene editing therapy with CRISPR directly administered into the body

11 Mar 2020

WHO declared Covid-19 to be a pandemic

18 Mar 2020

The Czech republic made the wearing of masks compulsory to try and prevent the spread of Covid-19

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