Bolivia authorized the use of the pill molnupiravir, from the American laboratory Merck, to treat patients infected with Covid-19, the Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday, amid a spike in infections within the framework of the fourth wave of the pandemic.
The statement from that secretariat indicated that “the marketing of the drug molnupiravir, which is used to carry out the Covid-19 treatment“.
He noted that the antiviral “is scientifically recommended for mild or moderate patients who have contracted the disease.”
Each capsule has a weight of 400 mg and its price must fluctuate between 49 and 61 bolivianos (from 7 to 8.7 dollars in exchange). Local media pointed out that the complete treatment requires 20 pills.
The sale of the product, by Bolivian laboratories, will be available later this week.
The Ministry of Health stressed that it recommended that “for no reason should this drug be considered a substitute for the preventive effect generated by vaccines worldwide.”
Bolivia, with almost 12 million inhabitants, is facing the peak of a fourth wave of coronavirus, with daily records of infections.
To date, it accumulates more than 763,390 coronavirus infections and more than 20,290 deaths from the virus.