Turkish firm announces new product for virus treatment

By Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - A leading Turkish pharmaceutical firm announced on Friday that it had successfully made a product "observed to be able to give positive results" in the treatment of the novel coronavirus.

"According to the research results, we produced the first batch of our product that was observed to give positive results in the treatment and we presented it to our Health Ministry," Abdi Ibrahim said on Twitter.

"We will produce this product throughout the year and donate all of it to the service of Turkish medicine," it added.

Abdi Ibrahim also thanked doctors, pharmacists, nurses and all health care personnel.

So far, Turkey has registered over 18,000 coronavirus cases and the death toll stands at 356. On the bright side, 415 people have fully recovered following treatment.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China in December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 181 countries and regions.

Data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections surging past 1 million, with more than 55,000 deaths. Over 219,000 people have recovered.