China has completed genome sequencing for the coronavirus found in the samples collected in the latest outbreak and arrived at a preliminary conclusion, state media reported on Monday, citing Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Gao did not elaborate, however.

Efforts to trace the origins of the virus are still underway, Gao added.

An epidemiologist with the Beijing government said on Sunday a DNA sequencing of the virus showed the Xinfadi outbreak could have come from Europe.

The deal is the first contract signed by Europe’s Inclusive Vaccines Alliance (IVA), a group formed by France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands to secure vaccine doses for all member states as soon as possible.

France’s private insurers would provide business-interruption cover of up to 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) a year in total for small companies hit by the fallout of any future pandemics, under a system proposed by the industry body.

The proposals, which would not apply to the current crisis, are aimed at helping 2.9 million small and mid-sized companies to cover some losses should they be required by the state to shut down their businesses if disaster strikes again.Under the proposed mechanism, known as CATEX, private insurers and reinsurers would provide coverage of up to 2 billion euros annually to businesses overall, beyond which the state would step in via public reinsurer CCR.
The new guarantee would be built into either fire insurance contracts, which all France companies have; or into business interruption policies, which 50% of businesses have.