Anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine with antibiotic azithromycin raises the chance of death among COVID-19 patients by more than 25 percent.
COVID-19 patients taking hydroxychloroquine, a treatment recommended by President Trump in March 2020, had higher death rates than those who did not take the drug. French scientists concluded that the drug has no positive impact on COVID-19 mortality rates. When patients were treated with the medication and azithromycin, the death rate rose by more than a quarter. The randomized clinical trial in hospitalized patients found those medicines had no benefit for decreasing the likelihood of death or speeding recovery. In the study, out of 368 patients, 97 patients who took hydroxychloroquine had a 27.8 percent death rate, and 158 patients who did not take the drug had an 11.4 percent death rate. The Food and Drug Association cautioned that the use of hydroxychloroquine causes serious heart rhythm problems and other issues, including lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver failure. The World Health Organisation said that the drug does not reduce deaths among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, nor helps people with moderate disease. Currently, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.