Throughout the outbreak of this unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, researchers have been ramping up efforts to combat the virus quickly and effectively. Various groups looking to stem cells from the umbilical cord as a possible therapy for those suffering some of the more extreme symptoms of the virus.

A small study in China consisting of 7 patients with pneumonia caused by Covid-19 has used mesenchymal stem cells taken from the umbilical cord as part of their treatment. The study has reported that all patients’ symptoms significantly improved just two days after receiving an injection of mesenchymal stem cells and after 10 days of receiving the stem cell therapy, 3 out of the 7 patients were fully recovered and discharged from hospital.

 

Symptoms of the new strain of coronavirus include respiratory problems, such as a dry cough and shortness of breath, which can often result in pneumonia, as well as elevated temperature. It can take as few as 2 or as many as 14 days after being exposed to the virus for the first symptom to develop. The worst cases of Covid-19 often lead to respiratory failure and subsequent fatality.

 

Umbilical cord tissue stem cells have been identified as a particularly useful resource for treating coronavirus due to their anti-inflammatory properties and ability to regulate functions within the immune system. They have been reported to repair damaged tissue within the lungs and regenerate cells that have been damaged as a result of contracting the Covid-19 virus.

 

Numerous clinical trials are currently on-going in the hope to overcome the virus. The results so far have yielded encouraging data and gives hope to thousands of current and future coronavirus patients.