Thai doctors from Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok have claimed that they were successful in treating severe cases of patients with coronavirus. According to the doctors, this was achieved by developing a combination of medications for flu and HIV, with initial results showing vast improvement within 48 hours of the treatment, reports Reuters.
The doctors said that several patients under their care have been treated under the new approach, including a 70-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan who tested positive.
The doctors explained that the treatment includes a mixture of anti-HIV drugs ― Lopinavir and Ritonavir, with flu drug Oseltamivir in large doses, the Reuters’ report added.
According to Dr. Kriangska Atipornwanich, a lung specialist at Rajavithi, the new development does not cure coronavirus. It only improves the patient’s condition significantly as the test result turns negative within 48 hours, as per media reports.
However, doctors at Rajavithi are yet to determine whether their development can be a standard treatment for the disease.
While another doctor from Rajavithi told media that a high dosage of such strong drugs might not beright for every patient, a similar approach in two other patients resulted in one displaying some allergic reaction but the other showed improvement.
So far, Thailand has reported 19 cases of coronavirus. Eight have recovered and gone home, while 11 are still under treatment in hospitals.
The doctors assured that the health ministry will meet on Monday, February 3, to discuss the successful treatment in the case of the 70-year-old woman but said it is still too early to say that this approach can be applied to all cases.
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