Russia Creates Anti-Covid-19 Drug
Russia Creates Anti-Covid-19 Drug
© Sputnik / Maksim Bogodvid
Earlier in the day, Russia’s operational headquarters for preventing the spread of COVID-19 reported that the number of patients infected with the coronavirus in Russia has increased by 228 people over the past 24 hours, and that one more person has died.
The Russian Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA) said in a statement that it has presented a drug to treat the coronavirus, which has affected almost every corner of the globe.
Russia's FMBA is working "on an effective and safe scheme to prevent the coronavirus infection on the basis of mefloquine, which will not only overcome the peak of incidence but also effectively control it in the future", their press service said.
As of 28 March, Russia has registered 1,264 COVID-19 cases in 62 regions.
Putin Says Russia May Defeat Coronavirus in Less Than Three Months
On 26 March, Russian President Vladimir Putin shared his views on what Russia needs to do to contain the virus.
"My colleague expects we will defeat the coronavirus in two or three months. This is a fine forecast, since in many countries people say the war will be going on for a very long period of time ... We will certainly get over this situation, and I hope even earlier than you have said [two or three months]”, Putin said at a meeting with Russian business persons on 26 March.
Russia has joined nations around the globe in imposing a series of medical and economic measures to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. The measures include travel restrictions, quarantine for infected individuals and people over the age of 65, a week-long paid holiday for non-essential workers that starts from 28 March, funding to encourage businesses to convert their resources to the production of medical equipment, and other steps.
Russian Scientists Successfully Sequence Full Genome of Coronavirus
A week ago, the Russian Health Ministry's press service said that Russian scientists had succeeded in sequencing the full genome of COVID-19 that will help develop a vaccine and the necessary drugs.
According to the ministry, the sequenced COVID-19 genome will help develop vaccines and antiviral drugs to treat the infection.
"This coronavirus is new for us; therefore it is critically important to be able to determine the path of its spread and entry into the territory of our country, its change. This information will help develop vaccines and antiviral drugs to treat the coronavirus", Dmitry Lionozov, the acting director of the Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza said as quoted by the press service.
The World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March. More than 600,000 cases were confirmed worldwide by Saturday and more than 27,000 people have died from complications caused by the coronavirus disease, according to Johns Hopkins University.