Oklahoma, September 5: Several reports came to light that patients taking the horse dewormer medication, Ivermectin, packed hospitals in Oklahoma after believing that the drug was able to cure COVID-19. According to reports, the overdose of the usage of the horse dewormer drug as a treatment or preventative for COVID-19 has emergency rooms so backed up that gunshot victims were having hard times getting access to health facilities in this US State. Ivermectin is a veterinary dewormer primarily used on livestock animals. COVID-19 Treatment: Don’t Treat or Prevent Coronavirus With Drug Meant for Livestock, Warns FDA.

In a report by KFOR, Dr Jason McElyea said that the overdoses of the drug were causing backlogs in rural hospitals, leaving both beds and ambulance services scarce. A report by The Independent said that the situation is so grave that ambulances have been stuck at the hospitals unable to unload patients due to a lack of available space. The report further quoted a doctor saying that the hospitals in eastern and southeastern Oklahoma have seen an influx in patients who have taken enough ivermectin for a full-sized horse.

Also, a report by rollingstone.com quoted doctor McElyea saying that patients have arrived at hospitals with negative reactions like nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, and cramping — or even loss of sight. However, the administration has denied all the claims and issued a statement in this regard saying that the doctor who made the claims is no more working with them and that the NHS Sequoyah has not treated any patients due to complications related to taking ivermectin. Ivermectin Useful in Treating Coronavirus? FDA Warns of Taking Anti-Parasitic Drug As Treatment for COVID-19 Infection.

"Although Dr. Jason McElyea is not an employee of NHS Sequoyah, he is affiliated with a medical staffing group that provides coverage for our emergency room. With that said, Dr. McElyea has not worked at our Sallisaw location in over 2 months. NHS Sequoyah has not treated any patients due to complications related to taking ivermectin". Click here to read the complete statement by the adminitration.

In the US, people have been warned of taking the ivermectin drug for preventing the COVID-19 infection. The rise in the use of the drug forced the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to release a statement imploring Americans to stay away from the drug that has not been approved to treat or prevent COVID-19.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 05, 2021 03:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).