Japanese Government Recommends Novel Flu Treatment for COVID-19 Patients

"Effective in Preventing Symptom Worsening in Mild Patients"
"Also Prevents Symptom Onset in Asymptomatic Infected Individuals"

On the 20th, medical staff at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, are examining a suspected COVID-19 patient who arrived by an ambulance from the Jongno-gu Public Health Center.

The Japanese government has decided to recommend administering the novel influenza (new flu) treatment drug 'Avigan' (generic name Favipiravir) to patients infected with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 22nd.

According to the report, a Japanese government official stated that trial administration of Avigan to COVID-19 patients showed effects in preventing symptom worsening in mild cases and symptom onset in asymptomatic infections.

Considering these results, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato to utilize Avigan to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Minister Kato plans to soon request pharmaceutical companies to increase Avigan production.

Avigan is a new flu treatment drug developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, a subsidiary of Japan's Fujifilm, and is manufactured and stockpiled within Japan.

Yomiuri also reported that this drug has effects in inhibiting the proliferation of certain viruses and that research results have shown its efficacy in treating Ebola hemorrhagic fever.