A Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn patient, who is currently receiving treatment for COVID-19, has joined a research trial into a range of potential treatments in the fight against the virus.
The patient is the first from QEH to be recruited to the national Recovery Trial, which will include a range of different treatments to establish evidence about which drugs have proven benefits against COVID-19.
The focus of the trial is drugs commonly used to treat HIV (Lopinavir-Ritonavir), inflammation steroids (low-dose Dexamethasone) and anti-malarial drugs (Hydroxychloroquine).
Dr Antonia Hardcastle, research lead at the QEH, said: “This is a really important trial, and I am glad we are in the position to offer these novel therapies to our patients in West Norfolk.”
Zoe Coton, research nurse, said: “On behalf of the team, we would like to thank everyone for their support in setting up and recruiting our first patient to this ground-breaking trial.”
So far at the QEH, 71 patients have tested positive for COVID-19 and 15 of these have been discharged as of today (Friday).
Yesterday the hospital reported that two men, one in his 60s and one in his 70s, were the latest to have died having tested positive for COVID-19. It brings the total number of deaths of those testing positive to 12.
