Researchers in england claim that Dexamethasone, a cheap, widely available drug has reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalized patients. Dexamethasone reduced deaths by 35 percent in patients who needed treatment with breathing machines and by 20 percent in those only needing supplemental oxygen.
They claim to have conducted a large, strict test that randomly assigned 2,104 patients to get the drug and compared them with 4,321 patients getting only usual care. The drug was given either orally or through an IV. After 28 days, it had reduced deaths by 35 percent in patients who needed treatment with breathing machines and by 20 percent in those only needing supplemental oxygen.
The study claims that the drug would prevent one death for every eight patients treated while on breathing machines and one for every 25 patients on extra oxygen alone. The research is funded by government health agencies in the united kingdom and private donors including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Across the globe, there are 7.82 Million confirmed coronavirus cases and so far, the contagious virus has claimed 432K lives. A global recession is predicted due to this disruption.
