[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Thailand has attracted international attention by reporting that a confirmed patient of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) showed symptom improvement after being administered a mixed antiviral drug used for influenza and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Thai health authorities explained that this treatment method will be applied in emergency cases but may not be effective for all patients.
According to foreign media such as CNN on the 2nd (local time), Thai health authorities administered a mixed antiviral drug used for influenza and HIV to a 71-year-old Chinese female patient confirmed with the novel coronavirus. After treatment, the patient tested negative for the novel coronavirus within 48 hours. Previously, the patient had repeatedly tested positive for 10 days after hospital admission.
Thai medical staff explained that they combined oseltamivir, used for influenza treatment, with antiretroviral drugs ritonavir and lopinavir, used for HIV treatment. Somsak Akkslip, Director of the Medical Department of the Thai Ministry of Public Health, stated, "If a novel coronavirus patient is in a severe condition, this newly discovered treatment method will be applied," adding, "This treatment may not be effective for all novel coronavirus cases."
According to Thai health authorities, other patients in isolation did not respond to oseltamivir administration. Accordingly, medical staff plan to rely on existing treatments whose efficacy has already been proven. Thai health authorities stated that they are monitoring additional research results to verify causality in more detail. As of today, the cumulative number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Thailand has increased to 19.
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