THE antiviral medication for the treatment of severe Covid-19 cases is likely to be introduced by the end of the month, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today. 

He said an agreement has been reached between the ministry and US pharmaceutical company Pfizer last month to ensure the timely arrival of the drug, Paxlovid.

“We are likely to receive the medication in the next two weeks,” he told reporters after officiating at the National Kidney Foundation’s 16th Annual Dialysis Conference.

“In our agreement, we have ordered 110,000 antiviral pills and if we find the medication is effective, then we will add orders.”

Khairy said the ministry is also looking at two other antiviral medications – Molnupiravir by Merck and the other by AstraZeneca. 

“However, these are not confirmed yet. What is confirmed is Paxlovid,” he said. 

Malaysia reported a record 33,209 new Covid-19 infections yesterday.

Of that, only 203 (0.61%) of the cases were in the severe categories of 3, 4 and 5. – March 5, 2022.