A potential coronavirus vaccine, Ad5-nCoV has been granted limited approval in China.

The vaccine was jointly produced by Chinese biopharmaceutical firm CanSino Biologics Inc. and Institute of Biotechnology under the Academy of Military Medical Sciences.

The drug has received approval for a year and can be used only on essential services workers such as the military.

CanSino in a statement filed with Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd on Monday said Ad5-nCoV won approval for clinical trials early in March.

The company has completed phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials of the vaccine in China.

China has so far reported 83,512 coronavirus cases and 4,634 deaths.

Since first appearing in China last December, the virus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions. The US, Brazil and Russia are currently the countries hardest hit in the world.

The pandemic has killed more than 501,000 people worldwide, with over 10.14 million confirmed cases and more than 5.14 million recoveries, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.(PNA)