Cuba has Ivermectin, the anti-parasite drug
studied for COVID-19 treatment
If the effectiveness of the antiparasitic drug Ivermectin is proven, Cuba would not hesitate to use it as a treatment for patients infected with COVID-19, Dr. Francisco Durán García, national director of epidemiology at the Ministry of Public Health, told the press.
Author: Walkiria Juanes Sánchez | [email protected]
13 April 2020 23:04:48
Granma, April 14, 2020
If the anti-parasite drug Ivermectin is proven effective in treatment of patients infected with COVID-19, Cuba would use it without a doubt, Dr. Francisco Duran, National Director of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health, affirmed to the press.
The doctor referred to a study being carried out at the University of Monash in Melbourne Australia in which the drug has been shown to kill cultivated cells of the coronavirus SARS COV-2 (COVID-19) in 48 hours.
Ivermectin is used primarily to combat lice but it has been effective against diseases such as dengue, grippe and zika when tested in vitro, meaning in test laboratory conditions. Until it is tested in humans, though, it is still not possible to reach conclusive results.
The research on the medication was published last Friday in the journal Antiviral Research, and according to the research, a high dose of the medication is able to stop the growth of SARS COV-2.
“We have discovered that even a single dose can eliminate all of the viral RNA within 48 hours and moreover, produces a truly significant reduction within 24 hours,” stated Kylie Wagstaff, principal author of the study, reported The Sydney Herald.
