Controversial malaria drug for COVID-19 cases on way to Australia
Australia has secured 2000 courses of an anti-malaria drug that are to be shipped here and available for doctors and hospitals to use on coronavirus cases, federal health minister Greg Hunt told Sky News Australia this morning.
NSW Coronavirus Hibernation
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW Coronavirus Hibernation. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Ruby Princess boss's plea: bring cruise ship back to NSW
- Ruby Princess passenger dies as NSW faces lockdown
- Border Force slams NSW Health over Ruby Princess
Australia has secured 2000 courses of an anti-malaria drug that are to be shipped here and available for doctors and hospitals to use on coronavirus cases, federal health minister Greg Hunt told Sky News Australia this morning.
“I’m very pleased to be able to say we’ve just had confirmed from overseas overnight that one of the international manufacturers will provide 2000 courses for Australian patients of hydroxychloroquine - the condition is it has to be used in hospital on patients,” he told host Tim Gilbert.
Mr Hunt, who said the tally of Australian COVID-19 cases now stands at 5454 - including 33 patients who were on ventilators - said it would be up to individual healthcare providers to make the decision on whether the drugs were safe to use on their patients.
“It will now be a matter once we have these stocks arrive for the individual doctors and hospital systems to determine whether it’s appropriate, whether they believe it’s safe,” he said.
Australia was in the midst of a hydroxychloroquine shortage after a tweet from US president Donald Trump tweeted saying the drug could be used to treat COVID-19 saw a rush for it in pharmacies.
The Daily Telegraph reported yesterday that the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia last month reported chemists were receiving off label prescriptions from doctors prescribing the drug for other doctors and their families; as well as dentists prescribing to the community and their families.
A survey of more than 6000 doctors across 30 countries found that one in five were using the drug to treat the virus.
Australian scientists are working around the clock to develop both preventative and post-infection solutions for the deadly virus.
“There are multiple trials going on around Australia - vaccines, preventions and treatments,” he said. “The vaccines, the honest view is if any are to be successful, they’re a bit further away but we’re rushing at lightning speed to do that, as is the rest of the world.”
Mr Hunt said Australians adhering to social distancing measures had kept the number of cases much lower than earlier models had suggested at this time, pointing to the 33 cases in intensive care units.
“That is significantly lower than we had anticipated at this time. All of those cases are obviously very serious, but that means the capacity in our system is far greater than many had predicted at this time,” he said. “What we have seen most importantly is a first set of early signs of the flattening of the curve, going from 25-30 per cent daily infection rate growth down to the low teens and now safely below 10 per cent.”
But there was still a long way to go before social distancing regulations were reduced, Mr Hunt said.
“(There’s still) a lot of work to do, a long way to go but all of the hard work of Australians is beginning to yield real dividends in terms of lives saved and infections prevented,” he said.