This archive report was first published on 16 June 2020.
Published on June 16, 2020, a date that now seems like a distant memory in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers at the University of Oxford have made a significant discovery in the fight against the virus. They found that a widely available steroid called dexamethasone can reduce deaths in severely ill COVID-19 patients by 35%.
The breakthrough came after a team of researchers administered dexamethasone to over 2,000 severely ill COVID-19 patients. The results were nothing short of remarkable, with the steroid showing a significant reduction in deaths among patients who required ventilation.
"Dexamethasone is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19. This is an extremely welcome result," said Peter Horby, Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the University of Oxford.
"Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide," he added.
The news comes as a welcome relief in the midst of the pandemic, which has claimed over 436,000 lives worldwide. The virus has also infected over 8 million people, with new outbreaks emerging in China and other parts of the world.
Despite the progress made in treating COVID-19, the pandemic remains a significant threat to global health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the virus is still spreading rapidly, and that countries must remain vigilant in their efforts to contain it.
As the pandemic continues to unfold, it is clear that the fight against COVID-19 will be a long and difficult one. However, with breakthroughs like the discovery of dexamethasone, there is hope that we may be able to turn the tide of the pandemic and save countless lives.
