Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
Home Health & Medicine

Asthma drug might treat COVID-19 pneumonia

Pneumonia symptoms improved within two days of the drug's administration.

Tibi Puiu by Tibi Puiu
March 10, 2020
in Health & Medicine, News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

After a former passenger disembarked in Hong Kong tested positive for the virus on 1 February, Japanese authorities stopped the Diamond Princess from sailing off the coast of the country. For more than two weeks, more than 2,600 guests and crew were stuck onboard in quarantine.

As of March 6 in 2020, the total number of confirmed cases with coronavirus (COVID-19) on the cruise ship Diamond Princess, which is docked Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, reached 696 patients. Six passengers have died as a result of the virus.

Much has been written about the failures of the Diamond Princess, many claiming that the quarantine could haven been handled a lot better, potentially saving lives. But, at least there is also some good news to come out of this situation.

ADVERTISEMENT

After receiving news from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases that an asthma drug could be effective against respiratory diseases, Japanese doctors administered the drug to patients onboard the cruise ship who had pneumonia.

Sorry to interrupt, but you should really...

...Join the ZME newsletter for amazing science news, features, and exclusive scoops. More than 40,000 subscribers can't be wrong.

   

The Diamond Princess cruise ship. Credit: Bernard Spragg. NZ, Flickr.

The doctors from the Ashigarakami hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture gave the asthma drug to three patients, all over 65 years of age and on oxygen support. The drug called Ciclesonide is a a steroid inhalant that suppresses the immune system. Ciclesonide reaches the lungs where it can reduce inflammation.

Remarkably, all three patients improved their pneumonia symptoms within two days. One of the patients, a 73-year-old woman, was even discharged.

ADVERTISEMENT

Of course, this is very small sample size but even so, the results are highly promising. If the results can be replicated by other institutions across hundreds of patients, we might have a new powerful tool in our arsenal against COVID-19. That being said, you shouldn’t self-medicate with the asthma drug if you think you have COVID-19 — always seek professional medical help first.

As of March 10, there are over 115,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world, with 4,051 fatalities.

Tags: asthmacoronavirusCOVID-19Diamond Princesspneuomonia
ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.