A British scientist is racing to create a vaccine to stop the “unprecedented” spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Kate Broderick, vice-president of research and development at the pharmaceutical company Inovio, and her researchers in the US have been working round the clock to combat the contagion. She said it was “absolutely inevitable” that confirmed cases would emerge in Britain.

The team believe they are the most advanced in the search for a vaccine to contain the virus, which has so far killed at least 81 people and infected almost 3,000 in China.

They began designing the INO-4800 vaccine on December 31, the day of the outbreak, after receiving a $9 million grant from Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi), an initiative backed by Bill