Australian scientists map how immune system fights virus

Scientists in Australia say they have identified how the body's immune system fights the Covid-19 virus.

Their research, published in Nature Medicine journal on Tuesday, shows people are recovering from the new virus like they would from the flu, BBC reports.

Determining which immune cells are appearing should also help with vaccine development, experts say.

Globally, authorities have confirmed more than 160,000 cases of the coronavirus and about 6,500 deaths.

"This [discovery] is important because it is the first time where we are really understanding how our immune system fights novel coronavirus," said study co-author Prof Katherine Kedzierska.

The research by Melbourne's Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity has been praised by other experts, with one calling it "a breakthrough".

Many people have recovered from Covid-19, meaning it was already known that the immune system can successfully fight the virus.

But for the first time, the research identified four types of immune cells which presented to fight Covid-19.

They were observed by tracking a patient who had a mild-to-moderate case of the virus and no previous health issues.