Coronavirus: Czech in critical state receiving experimental Ebola drug Remdesivir

A Czech patient with Covid-19 in critical condition is being treated with Remdesivir, a drug originally developed by the US-based company Gilead Sciences to fight the Ebola virus.

A shipment of Remdesivir arrived from the US on Tuesday upon the request of Czech authorities. The Ministry of Health has approved its use on a case-by-case basis for a period of six months.

Remdesivir has shown some success in treating two viruses similar to the novel coronavirus, MERS and SARS, in animals.

The Czech patient now receiving the experimental drug, a Prague taxi driver, was admitted to the General University Hospital in critical condition and has been on ventilation for many days now.

Author: Brian Kenety