Early trials have shown that a Japanese flu drug is effective in treating the coronavirus, according to reports on Wednesday.
Medical authorities in China said they tested the antiviral drug favipiravir on 340 patients and found it reduces recovery time and improves the lung condition of patients, according to the Guardian.
Patients who tested positive for the coronavirus in both Wuhan and Shenzhen tested negative after a median of four days, compared to 11 days with patients who didn’t take the drug.
“It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment,” a Chinese official told reporters on Tuesday.
Ninety-one percent of patients experienced improved lung conditions, compared to 62% who didn’t take the drug, according to researchers.
One hundred and thirty-five people have been killed in the United States by the coronavirus, and at least 8,700 have been killed worldwide. Over 83,000 people have recovered from the virus.
President Trump addressed the nation on Wednesday, calling on the public to unite in the fight against the deadly virus.
“Every generation of Americans has been called to make sure it sacrifices for the good of the nation. In World War II, young people in their teenage years volunteered to fight,” the president said in a press conference.
“Now, it’s our time we must sacrifice together because we are all in this together. We’ll come through together.”
