Swedish hospitals stop administering chloroquine to coronavirus patients

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, several hospitals in Sweden have stopped the use of chloroquine in their treatment of coronavirus patients. According to reports, the anti-malarial medication that was being prescribed to coronavirus patients was causing adverse side effects. The side effects of chloroquine included cramps and the loss of peripheral vision among other things.

Unintended side effects

As per reports, a local Swedish newspaper revealed that a 40-year-old Stockholm resident, Carl Sydenhag, was prescribed two tablets of chloroquine daily. But instead of making him feel better, the medication began to have unintended side effects. Sydenhag began experiencing cramps as well as vision loss and severe migraines.

Currently, there are no specific drugs that can treat the deadly coronavirus but reportedly the anti-malarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have become highly popular as a possible alternative in the absence of a vaccine. US President Donald Trump has also tweeted about how hydroxychloroquine can be used to treat the novel coronavirus and well as reporting that the US has already stockpiled 29 million pills. According to various reports, the drug’s effectiveness against the coronavirus has only so far shown mixed results.

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Chloroquine causes death

A US man has died and his wife is in critical condition after the two tried to self-medicate against coronavirus. As per reports, the two took chloroquine phosphate which US President Donald Trump has claimed is a possible treatment for COVID-19. It is also an additive that is commonly used in aquariums to clean fish tanks.

As per reports, Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, has claimed that the drugs mentioned by the US President may be effective against the novel coronavirus but he has also been quoted telling reporters that the US President received his information about hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin combination's effectiveness from anecdotal reports.

Read: Rahul Gandhi Issues First Statement As India Approves Hydroxychloroquine Export Amid Covid

Read: MEA Issues Statement On Hydroxychloroquine Export Nod, Shuts Down 'attempts To Politicise'