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Nigeria Warns Against Using Drug for COVID that Trump Hailed as Treatment

VOA News

   Nigeria has warned against using the drug chloroquine to fight COVID-19
   after threepeoplewere hospitalized afteroverdosingon it, according to a
   CNN report.

   Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said at a briefing that the Food
   and DrugAdministration had approved the drug for treatment of the
   coronavirus."It was approved very, very quickly and it's now approved,
   by prescription," Trump said.

   The FDA, however, released a statementafter the president's briefing
   saying that the agencyis "investigating" the use of the drug that is
   "already approved for treating malaria, lupus and rheumatoid
   arthritisto determine whether it can be used to treat patients with
   mild-to-moderateCOVID-19 . . ."

   The Lagos State Health Ministry also released a statement about
   chloroquine saying, "We do nothave any hard evidence that chloroquine
   is effective in preventing or managing COVID-19."

   CNN said one man saw the price of chloroquine rise by more than 400% in
   a few minutes.

   Chloroquine has been used to treat malaria in parts of Africa where the
   disease is endemic.

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