A clinical trial led by researchers at Oxford University found that when administrated intravenously, in small doses, dexamethasone reduced death rates by around a third among severely ill coronavirus patients
Zweli Mkhize, Health Minister said a study has shown the use of a steroid called dexamethasone on COVID-19 patients in ICU. This has result in a decline of 25% in South Africa’s mortality rate among the critically ill.
As at now, South Africa is now ranked fifth on the global COVID-19 scale, with over 521,000 infections and over 8,000 deaths.
Local doctors have been using dexamethasone to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients for almost two months now.
Mkhize said the steroid has already shown remarkable results.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has agreed to send more than 40 senior experts to South Africa, half of whom are touching down on Wednesday, to give the department guidelines on the best way to respond to the virus.
Mkhize says although it seems the spread of the virus is slowing down in some provinces, it’s not an indication that the country is out of the dangerous coronavirus.
WATCH: Health Minister Zweli Mkhize gives COVID-19 update
