By Noreen Jazul
The Department of Health (DOH) said there's no scientific basis yet whether Thailand's "drug cocktail" can be used as cure for 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) as far as the World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned.
This handout photo from Thailand's Public Health Ministry taken and released on February 2, 2020 shows Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (R) viewing closed circuit video images in Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute in Nonthaburi outside Bangkok where patients infected with SARS-like virus are confined.(Photo by Handout / Thailand Public Health Ministry / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Sa Thailand daw, may ginagamit, yung HIV/AIDS anti retro viral drug ay mukhang gumagana, pero sabi naman ng WHO, walang batayan hanggang sa ngayon,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque told Unang Balita on Monday.
(In Thailand, they are using, an HIV/AIDS anti retroviral drug, it seems working, but the WHO said there’s no basis yet for its effectivity.)
Thailand's health ministry on Sunday reported that a 71-year-old patient showed "dramatic improvement" after taking a "cocktail of anti-virals used to treat flu and HIV."
Dr. Kriengsak Attipornwanich, said the patient, who earlier tested positive for the virus, "turned negative in 48 hours," after taking the medication.
"From being exhausted before, she could sit up in bed 12 hours later," Attipornwanich said.
The doctors combined the anti-flu drug oseltamivir with lopinavir and ritonavir, anti-virals used to treat HIV, Kriengsak said, adding the ministry was awaiting research results to prove the findings.
In the country, Duque said 24 of patients who were under investigation for 2019-nCoV ARD already tested negative. (With a report from AFP)