Ebola drug shows potential to treat Covid-19 but further studies needed

Trials of a drug developed to treat the Ebola virus which may have a role to play in combatting Covid-19, have been described as "encouraging" by infectious disease specialist Professor Paddy Mallon.

The preliminary results of a US government sponsored trial involving 1,000 patients have shown signs that the experimental drug, remdesivir, may have a role to play in fighting the pandemic. The drug was developed by Gilead Sciences.