Russian researchers fully decode COVID-19 genome, Developed COVID-19 treatment based on anti-malaria drug

The material was taken from a COVID-19 patient

Russian agency said we have developed COVID-19 treatment based on anti-malaria drug. Drug was based on mefloquine, which is used to prevent or treat malaria.

The drug will allegedly provide effective treatment for COVID-19 patients with varying severity.

According to the agency's statement, the drug prevents virus replication in cells and as a result, stops the inflammatory process caused by the virus.

The agency’s head, said Mefloquine has to be combined with antibiotics for the maximum effect, allowing an increase in the concentration of antiviral agents in blood plasma and lungs.

"This will ensure effective treatment of patients with various degrees of coronavirus infection," The agency;s head.

The agency said it was developing an effective and safe scheme for the prevention of coronavirus on the basis of mefloquine.

The treatment was developed taking Chinese and French experience into account, it added.

COVID-19 treatment, for now, focuses on relieving symptoms such as breathing assistance.

Russian Health Ministry embarks on creating coronavirus vaccine

Russian Deputy Health Minister said "We have begun working [on the vaccine], but we must solve several fundamental issues here. First, we need an appropriate animal specimen. Second, we need the living virus itself. 

An effort is underway with our Chinese comrades to obtain the corresponding biological materials," the deputy minister said, adding that Russian Health Ministry is developing a diagnostic test system.

The Chinese authorities informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of an unknown disease in the city of Wuhan on December 31, 2019. 

On January 7, 2020, Chinese specialists identified the new 2019-nCoV coronavirus as the culprit. According to the National Health Committee of China, 291 people came down with the new virus by January 21.

Coronavirus cases in Russia rise to over 1,000 in past 24 hours

Russia has registered 1,036 cases of the coronavirus infection by the progressive total method in 58 regions. Seven people have been released from hospitals after their recovery in the past twenty-four hours. Over the entire period, 45 people have been discharged from hospitals and 3 died" the coronavirus monitoring center said.

Coronavirus cases in 199 Countries

According to the latest reports, over 537,300 cases of patients infected with the novel coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide. The virus’ death toll has reached over 24,100.

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