In what may be termed as a positive development, a group of doctors from Thailand have claimed to have found a cure for the deadly Coronavirus by administrating HIV drugs. As numbers continue to rise, estimates suggest that more than 17,000 people have been infected with the viral strain, as more and more countries impose travel bans and restrictions. The deadly infection has now been declared a worldwide public health emergency by the World Health Organisation.
Case study
Thailand, which has recorded the second-highest number of cases of the rampant infection (18) after China has been seeing a good potential recovery rate, with doctors reporting success rates in treating patients infected with the disease.
According to a statement issued by Thailand’s health ministry, a woman of Chinese origin, admitted to a hospital in Bangkok has shown surprising improvement and recovery rate after the doctors attending to her case administered a mix of medicines, largely anti-viral drugs mainly used to treat infections like the Flu and the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).
According to the report released, doctors involved in the case administered a combination of drugs, including oseltamivir with lopinavir and ritonavir to the patient which has shown “speedy” results. The research is still to be published.
According to inputs from AFP, the woman, who recorded the same symptoms as of other patients, like exhaustion, tiredness and flu was able to rest and sit up properly after the dose was given to her.
The patient, who is 71 years old tested negative for Coronavirus infection, nearly 48 hours after the first dose of the combination medicines were given to her. If this news is true, this might be the much-needed breakthrough needed to crack the Coronavirus outbreak, which is now fast spreading around the world. Till date, a total of 362 people have lost their lives due to the virus, including a 44-year-old who died in the Philippines, which makes it the first death to happen outside of China, the area of primary attack.
In India, two people in Kerala who travelled back to the country from China have so far tested positive for the virus and are undergoing quarantine and getting necessary treatment for the same.
Apart from this, many new researchers are underway to find a fast and effective cure for the virus outbreak which started in December 2019. No cure or preventive measure has been established to tackle the virus, as of yet.
Source: TimesOfIndia