2.4 million doses of experimental coronavirus drug land in Israel

Netanyahu thanked Modi for making an exception in his country’s no-export rule.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Pills (photo credit: INGIMAGE / ASAP)
Pills
(photo credit: INGIMAGE / ASAP)
Israel received essential supplies for fighting coronavirus from three different countries on Saturday, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Among the deliveries included 2.4 million doses of chloroquine, a drug usually used to treat malaria, which some have found to be helpful for coronavirus patients. The PMO did not say where the pills came from.
The PMO credited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal intervention, contacting the leaders of various countries, with bringing about the supplies’ arrival, together with the Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, who is leading the “acquisitions war room” for the coronavirus fight.
In addition, following Netanyahu’s phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a delivery arrived from India last week including tons of raw material that can be used to manufacture choroquine.
Netanyahu thanked Modi for making an exception in his country’s no-export rule.
Israel also received 2.5 tons of anesthetics from Italy and millions of pieces of protective gear from China, including masks and coveralls.
Last week, Israel became one of the first countries to receive Avigan, a Japanese drug used to treat influenza, which is thought to be helpful in treating COVID-19 in its early stages, shortening the time the patient is sick and preventing the illness from becoming more severe. The drug is to be tested on 80 patients at four hospitals across Israel.