Fevers of 3 Taiwanese COVID-19 patients subside after taking remdesivir

台灣3例新冠肺炎患者在服用瑞德昔韋後病狀消退

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Three Taiwanese COVID-19 patients who are being treated with remdesivir had their fevers subside quickly after taking the medicine, said Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳), a leading member of Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Thursday (March 26), according to CNA.

Remdesivir, an anti-viral medicine that failed as an Ebola drug, is currently under clinical trials for treating COVID-19. However, whether the medicine can help patients shorten their recovery times still needs to be assessed and determined, Chang added.

In addition to remdesivir, Chang said that based on a French research, the anti-malarial drug quinine can be used to shorten COVID-19 patients’ viral shedding process. Therefore, it can be administered to patients with mild symptoms and non-pneumonia patients to shorten their hospital stays.

Chang went on to add that another anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, can be effective in treating COVID-19. The government's newest guidelines for clinical treatment allow doctors to administer it based on their judgment; however they must make known to patients that its effectiveness is still being studied and receive their consent.

Hydroxychloroquine, which is also used to treat rheumatism, will require a seven-day course of treatment for cases of COVID-19, Chang said. Doctors must proceed with caution, as there are potential side effects, including heart arrhythmia and retinal lesions, and pregnant women should not be prescribed the drug either.