GENOA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th March, 2020) An arthritis drug, tocilizumab, is proving to be effective in treating COVID-19 patients, but further research is needed for a scientific conclusion, Valerio Mogini, a doctor from the Italian Red Cross' biocontainment unit involved in the response since the onset of the outbreak, told Sputnik.
"The results that we have so far from the use of tocilizumab are quite positive, but not conclusive, not significant enough in a statistical way. Doctors are using it for sure, but I wouldn't say anything about the results in a scientific way," Mogini said.
Thus, the drug is "now under evaluation," he added, expressing hope for reliable data on the matter to come up "pretty soon."
With nearly 33,200 confirmed cases, Italy is experiencing the biggest coronavirus outbreak outside of China. On Thursday, its death toll overtook the Chinese one, jumping to 3,405.
