Could a cure be in sight?

Doctors in Thailand have reportedly seen a positive response from novel coronavirus patients after giving them a combination of flu and HIV medications.

According to a Reuters report in The Star, the doctors from Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok are optimistic with the form of treatment.



"This is not the cure, but the patient's condition has vastly improved. From testing positive for 10 days under our care, after applying this combination of medicine the test result became negative within 48 hours," said Dr Kriangska Atipornwanich, a lung specialist at Rajavithi.

More research needed

Dr Kriangska said that while the results seem positive, more studies need to be conducted before it can be used as a standard treatment for the virus.

He added that the combination of flu and HIV medication had improved the condition of several patients, including a 70-year-old woman from Wuhan who had tested positive for the virus.

Not all results were positive

Medical Services Department director-general Somsak Akkslim, however, said that one patient had an allergic reaction after being given the combination of drugs.

"We have been following international practices, but the doctor increased the dosage of one of the drugs," he said, adding that the additional dosage was for the flu medicine Oseltamivir.

Dr Somsak said that officials will meet today (Feb 2) to discuss the treatment further.

According to the latest situation report by the World Health Organization (as of Feb 2, 2020), there have been 14,557 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally.



A total of 304 people have died in China and one in the Philippines.

We just hope to hear some positive news soon!