A second Norfolk hospital has begun enrolling patients onto a research trial looking into potential treatments against coronavirus.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn announced it has signed up its first patient, who is currently receiving treatment for the virus, to the RECOVERY trial.
The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital announced on Thursday it was also supporting the trial, which is being led by researchers in Oxford.
So far at the QEH, 71 patients have tested positive for COVID-19, 15 of these have been discharged and 12 patients have confirmed to have died.
Read more: Norfolk patients begin enrolling on coronavirus treatment trialsDr Antonia Hardcastle, research lead at the QEH, said: “This is a really important trial, and I am glad we are in the position to offer these novel therapies to our patients in West Norfolk.”
RECOVERY is one of a growing number of trials being set up with the support of the National Institute for Health Research to help find treatments for COVID-19.
Read more: Six more coronavirus deaths in Norfolk as UK reaches new record for testingThe RECOVERY trial will look at treating patients with hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug, or lopinavir/ritonavir, which is normally used to treat HIV, or the steroid dexamethasone, which is used in a wide range of conditions to reduce inflammation. The research study is open to all adults who are hospitalised with confirmed COVID-19.
Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness. However, older people, and those with underlying medical conditions are more likely to develop serious illness as a result of the virus, which has no specific vaccines or treatments.
Zoe Coton, Research Nurse, said: “On behalf of the team, we would like to thank everyone for their support in setting up and recruiting our first patient to this ground-breaking trial.”
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