New Delhi, March 23: The Indian Council of Medical Research has recommended hydroxychloroquine drug for the treatment of coronavirus-affected patients in an advanced stage of the disease, news agency ANI reported. The recommendation came a day after Jordan 's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorised physicians to use hydroxychloroquine along with an antiviral medicine as a treatment for coronavirus. Has Community Transmission of COVID-19 Begun? Crucial Test Tomorrow, Says ICMR. 

The CIMR constituted a National Task Force, which has recommended hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis of COVID-19 for high-risk cases, ANI added. The drug is commonly used to treat malaria infections as well as for treating autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Recently, US President Donald Trump urged Americans to take a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin drugs apparently against coronavirus infections.

"HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains – Thank You!" President Trump tweeted last week. "Hopefully they will BOTH … be put in use IMMEDIATELY. PEOPLE ARE DYING, MOVE FAST, and GOD BLESS EVERYONE!” he added. Following Trump's tweet, Hydroxychloroquine went out of stock at many pharmacies.

However, medicos and scientists remained divided over taking hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin drugs together. Ed, who is a professor and author of Internal Medicine & Clinical Pharmacology, condemned Donald Trump for "spreading rumours". According to Professor ED, Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin should not be taken together "because they increase the risk of fatal cardiac arrhythmia due to QTc prolongation".

"Hundreds of Coronavirus deaths have been documented as a result of SECONDARY bacterial infection in those weakened by the primary virus. That’s why the dual treatment of antibiotic Azithromycin AND hydroxychloroquine is so promising," America First host Sebastian Gorka tweeted.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 23, 2020 03:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).