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Thai claim new drug treating coronavirus in woman 'successful'

Bangkok - Officials said the latest lab test has showed no trace of the virus in the patient's respiratory system.

A Chinese woman who tested positive for the deadly new coronavirus (nCoV) has been successfully treated by the doctors in Thailand with a combination drug used in HIV and flu, the Health Ministry here said.

Kriangsak Atipornwanich, a doctor at Rajavithi Hospital in the Thai capital treated a 71-year-old female patient. Atipornwanich said the patient had previously been treated with only anti-HIV drugs.

The doctors combined the anti-flu drug - oseltamivir, with lopinavir and ritonavir - anti-virals used to treat HIV, Atipornwanich said.

The ministry was awaiting research results to prove the findings, according to a CNN report.

"I had treated a patient with severe condition, and the result has been very satisfactory. The patient's condition has improved very quickly within 48 hours. And the test result has also changed from being positive into negative within 48 hours," Atipornwanich was quoted as saying by CNN on Sunday.

Health officials also said the latest lab test has showed there's no trace of the virus in the patient's respiratory system.

In India, by Monday afternoon, there were three positive coronavirus cases in Kerala. The third case was confirmed by state Health Minister KK Shailaja.

On Monday, the number of deaths in China rose to 361, with 17,205 confirmed cases and 475 discharged from hospital, according to the National Health Commission.

More than 152,700 people were under observation, among which there are a total of 21,558 suspected cases.