Australia's National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce has made only a conditional recommendation for the first approved drug.
Welcome to The Medical Republic’s COVID Catch-Up.
It’s the day’s COVID-19 news in one convenient post. Email bianca@biancanogrady.com with any tips, comments or feedback.
30 October
- Conditional recommendation for remdesivir in adults receiving oxygen but not ventilation.
- Latest confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers from around Australia.
- While the US Food and Drug Administration and – dare I say it – even the much-respected Dr Anthony Fauci have waxed lyrical over the antiviral remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19, Australia’s National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce has been a little more cautious.
In the latest update, the Taskforce issued a conditional recommendation for the use of remdesivir in adults with COVID-19 who are receiving oxygen therapy but not on ventilation. For those not receiving oxygen, the recommendation is only to use remdesivir in the context of clinical trials.
The update also includes a recommendation against the use of interferon beta-1 alpha or triazavirin, except in clinical trials. - After nearly three months without a new COVID-19 case, the Northern Territory’s tally jumped by four cases yesterday to 37, all of which are returned travellers in quarantine.
In New South Wales, an enthusiastic gym-goer has triggered a public health alert after they attended the F45 gym in Leppington, south-west Sydney, almost every day from the 15-28 October while infectious with COVID-19. Anyone who attended the same classes is considered a close contact and must get tested and isolate for two weeks, regardless of the test result. More details of the times involved are available here.
Here are the latest confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers from around Australia to 9pm Thursday:
National – 27,569, with 907 deaths
ACT – 114 (0)
NSW – 4411 (5)
NT – 37 (4)
QLD – 1171 (0)
SA – 496 (1)
TAS – 230 (0)
VIC – 20,344 (3)
WA – 766 (1)
