Mar 24, 2020

Turkey says it is administering coronavirus patients a “special drug” sent from China.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Tuesday that drugs were delivered via air ambulances to 40 cities across Turkey, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.

"We have brought a special drug used in China, which is claimed to have resulted in improvements in intensive care patients, cutting their time in care from 11-12 days to four days," said Koca on Monday.

He didn't provide additional information, but a member of the Health Ministry’s Coronavirus Science Committee later revealed the name of the drug as Favipiravir.

Favipiravir, also known as Avigan, is a Japanese anti-flu drug, which China says has been helpful in shortening treatment time of COVID-19 patients.