Brazil will produce hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday that the country will receive raw material to produce hydroxychloroquine next Saturday to treat COVID-19. The raw material of anti-malaria drug will arrive from India, Bolsonaro said.

Bolsonario said hydroxychloroquine was saving lives of coronavirus patients and should be used in the initial stages of COVID-19. Due to the absence of scientific evidence on its effectiveness and safety, Brazil's health authorities limit its use to seriously ill patients who are in the hospital. U.S President Donald Trump was the first president to ensure that the treatment for malaria could be used as therapy against the virus that causes the flu and pneumonia.

Currently, there are no drugs approved to treat the novel coronavirus. The treatment isn't without risk: Potential side effects of hydroxychloroquine include vision loss and heart problems.