Doctors from Thailand said on Sunday that they had seen success in treating severe cases of the new coronavirus with a combination of influenza drugs and HIV (AIDS). Initial results showed significant improvement within 48 hours of starting treatment.
Doctors from Rajavethi Hospital in Bangkok said that a new approach in treating the Coronavirus has improved the conditions of a number of patients under their care, including a 70-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan, who tested positive for the virus ten days ago..
The treatment includes a combination of two anti-HIV drugs, lopinavir and ritonavir, as well as large doses of influenza drug oseltamivir..
“This is not treatment, but the patient’s condition has improved significantly. After the tests confirmed her infection ten days ago, the new tests were negative after 48 hours of treatment,” doctor Kariyanjaska Atebornoich, a lung specialist at Rajavihi University, told reporters.“.
“The result is generally good, but we still have to do more research to determine if this can be a cure,” he added“.
And Chinese health officials have already started using AIDS treatment with influenza to fight the Corona virus. Thai doctors said that the use of the three drugs together seemed to be a good treatment.
Another doctor said that a similar approach with two other patients had affected one of the side effects of allergy, but the other had improved condition..
“We used to follow international practices, but the doctor increased the dose of one of the medicines,” said Somsak Axelem, director-general of the Medical Services Department, referring to influenza medication oseltamivir..
Thailand has registered 19 cases of the new Corona virus. Eight of them recovered and returned to their homes, and 11 are still receiving hospital treatment.
Somsak said that the Ministry of Health will hold a meeting tomorrow Monday to discuss the successful treatment of the condition of the 70-year-old, but he said it is still too early to say that this approach can be applied to all cases..
“Initially we will apply this approach only to critical cases“.
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