Mbabane: A cheap steroid called dexamethasone has been found to reduce the risk of death by up to one-third among coronavirus patients patients with severe respiratory complications, University of Oxford researchers have said, according to British online publisher-The Independent.
The Independent says scientists working on the Recovery Trial found the drug could benefit patients on ventilators or oxygen, but had no effect on those who did not need help breathing.
“Based on these results, one death would be prevented by treatment of around eight ventilated patients or around 25 patients requiring oxygen alone,” researchers said in a statement.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, tweeted: “This global first exemplifies the power of science.”
“I’m absolutely delighted that today we can announce the first successful clinical trial for a treatment for Covid-19,” he added.
In the UK, the government has stockpiled 200 000 courses of dexamethasone since March, and placed oral and injection solutions of it to a list of medicines banned for export from the UK at midnight on Tuesday. Tablets were restricted in April.
Recovery Trial experts said a randomised group of 2 104 patients were given 6mg of dexamethasone per day for 10 days, while another group of 4 321 were given normal treatment.
Dexamethasone reduced deaths by one-fifth in patients on oxygen feeds and by one-third in those who needed a ventilator to breathe, preliminary results showed.
Mr Hancock added: “This is a huge step forward and it’s because we’ve backed the science.”
Martin Landray, professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, and one of the trial’s chief investigators, said in a statement: “These preliminary results from the Recovery Trial are very clear – dexamethasone reduces the risk of death among patients with severe respiratory complications.
“Covid-19 is a global disease – it is fantastic that the first treatment demonstrated to reduce mortality is one that is instantly available and affordable worldwide.”
Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, said that it was “the most important trial result for COVID-19 so far.
“Significant reduction in mortality in those requiring oxygen or ventilation from a widely available, safe and well-known drug. Many thanks to those who took part and made it happen. It will save lives around the world.”
Researchers are now working to publish the full details of their results. Researchers are now working to publish the full details of their results. Globally, as of Tuesday, there were 4.86 million confirmed positive cases, with 432 000 deaths. In Eswatini, we had 506 confirmed cases, with 4 deaths and 249 recoveries by the time of compiling this report.
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