Pune: Sassoon Hospital to use new drug to treat COVID-19 patients

At least 25 COVID-19 patients, who are in a semi-critical condition at Pune's government-run Sassoon General Hospital, will be administered tocilizumab, a drug which has proven effective in treating the infection, an official said on Friday.

The new drug, an injection which costs around Rs 20,000, will be given to 25 patients in the first phase and depending on the results, the Pune Municipal Corporation will decide on its further use, municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.

A special task force of specialist doctors, set up under the chairmanship of Dr D B Kadam, recommended tocilizumab for COVID-19 patients in case their condition worsens, he said.

The task force has recommended the use of the drug in patients below 50 years of age, those with evidence of cytokine storm, requiring oxygen and having persistent fever.