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Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Health has informed citizens that medicines containing chloroquine are still undergoing clinical trials to determine whether they are effective treatments for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Chloroquine is used to prevent and treat malaria. Medical experts across the world have been trying the medicine on patients with the coronavirus to test its efficacy in treating the pandemic.
US President Trump claimed the drug could be used to treat the virus, erroneously asserting the US Food and Drug Administration had approved it for COVID-19. Social media users in Morocco and across the world started promoting the medicine as an effective treatment for COVID-19.
In response, the Ministry of Health said the medication is still under trial in several countries in order to prove its effectiveness against the pandemic.
If the drug proves effective to treat COVID- 19, its use “would be limited to cases admitted to hospitals and according to a medical protocol approved by a national scientific committee,” said the ministry.
The statement also warned citizens to refrain from buying medications without prescriptions.
Fears have mounted since Morocco announced the outbreak of the virus in the country with the first case on March 2.
Morocco has confirmed 66 cases and 3 deaths so far due to the pandemic. In order to prevent further proliferation, Morocco imposed a nationwide lockdown which will come into effect today at 6 p.m.
Only people with permits from authorities can leave their houses for work, groceries, or medical emergencies.
