Anti-parasitic drug kills coronavirus within 48 hours: Study

An anti-parasitic drug already available over the world can kill the novel coronavirus grown in cell cultures within 48 hours.

This has been found by a group of researchers and a study published in the journal Antiviral Research, it has been stated that a drug called Ivermectin halted SARS-CoV-2 from growing in cell culture within 48 hours.

Co-author Kylie Wagstaff from Monash University in Australia Hindustan Times reported, "We found that even a single dose could basically remove all viral RNA by 48 hours and that even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it."

" Ivermectin is an approved anti-parasitic drug. It has shown to be effective in vitro against a broad range of virus including HIV, dengue, influenza and Zika virus," the research group added.

Wagstaff, however, cautioned that human trials are yet to be carried out.

Wagstaff further informed that Ivermectin is widely used and is considered to be a safe drug.

"We need to figure out now whether the dosage you can use it at in humans will be effective – that is the next step," Hindustan Times further reported quoting Wagstaff.

"The use of Ivermectin to battle COVID-19 will depend upon the results of future pre-clinical testing and clinical trials," Wagstaff added.