Tokyo: Medical experts in China have claimed that a new flu drug is 'clearly effective' in treating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Favipiravir, the active ingredient in a Japanese anti-flu medicine called Avigan, was trialled on 340 patients with the disease in China, reported dailymail.co.uk

Patients who took the flu drug recovered quicker and showed greater lung improvement compared with patients not given the drug.

The component is thought to block the virus from replicating in the body.

Doses will be investigated in more COVID-19 patients by Hong Kong researchers, who claim they will give their pill 'for free' if studies show it is safe.

SOURCE : GULFNEWS