TN govt orders 60,000 more vials of Remdesivir: Health Minister

The State government has ordered 60,000 more vials of Remdesivir, which would reach soon, he told reporters here. He also said other anti-viral drugs such as Tocilizumab would also be made available. The minister said steps were being taken to provide plasma treatment to COVID-19 patients in government hospitals here.

With anti-viral drug Remdesivir showing the ability to save lives of critical COVID-19 patients, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered 60,000 more vials, state Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said on Tuesday. The State government has ordered 60,000 more vials of Remdesivir, which would reach soon, he told reporters here, He also said other anti-viral drugs such as Tocilizumab would also be made available.

The minister said steps were being taken to provide plasma treatment to COVID-19 patients in government hospitals here. Stating that the successful efforts of Oxford University to find the medicine for the virus would increase confidence in the health sector, he said vaccine or drugs to combat COVID-19 should come soon.

Vijay Baskar said even the Siddha system of medicine was also giving effective treatment to the patients. "Coronavirus is our enemy and not the patients," he said, adding that more medical camps will be conducted to identify the infected persons and it was possible to test more than 4,000 people daily in the district.

To a question on the increasing numbers of death, the minister attributed it to diseases other than COVID-19. With 4,650 beds being available to treat patients, steps were being taken to add another 500, he said.

Local Administration minister, S P Velumani who was also present, said government hospitals were providing quality treatment. Earlier, the two ministers reviewed the facilities at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.